RELEX Solutions tackles an everyday retail challenge: offering the right product, in the right place and at the right time, without tying up too much inventory. Based in Helsinki, the Finnish company develops a software platform designed to align sales forecasts with operational decisions. Its tools cover purchasing, replenishment, assortments and the organization of retail space, among other areas. Its website, relexsolutions.com, presents a suite of solutions deployed internationally by businesses in retail and the supply chain.
A company rooted in Finnish research
RELEX Solutions was founded in 2005 by Mikko Kärkkäinen, Johanna Småros and Michael Falck. Its origins lie in its founders’ research on logistics and flow management at Helsinki University of Technology, now part of Aalto University. Their approach involves turning calculation and optimization methods into tools that can be used by teams responsible for managing supply.
Initially focused on demand forecasting and replenishment, the company gradually broadened its functional and geographical scope. It expanded beyond the Nordic countries, particularly in Europe and North America. Equity investments by firms such as TCV and later Blackstone supported this expansion. In 2024, the acquisition of Optimity strengthened its capabilities in production and supply network planning.
Connecting forecasts to operational decisions
Offered as a SaaS solution, the platform uses sales, inventory and supply data to anticipate needs. In particular, it draws on machine learning to account for factors such as seasonality, promotions and local variations in consumption. The forecasts then feed into order recommendations and automation mechanisms, with users handling exceptions.
In food retail, this approach must balance on-shelf availability, shelf life and waste reduction. In other retail segments, it also aims to limit stockouts and overstocks. RELEX also offers assortment and space planning tools, as well as pricing and promotion features. The aim is to better coordinate decisions that are often spread across several departments, rather than optimizing each activity in isolation.
What next?
RELEX’s trajectory is based on extending this integrated planning approach from stores to industrial operations. In an environment marked by fluctuating costs and demand that is difficult to predict, the ability to adjust decisions quickly is a tangible concern for its customers.
This ambition remains dependent on data quality, integration with existing systems and teams’ adoption of the tools. For RELEX, the challenge will therefore be as much operational as technological: making recommendations understandable, supporting changes in working practices and demonstrating measurable results in inventory, service and losses.