The BOC Group’s logistic service provider arm - GIST - takes distribution network analysis in its stride. Established over thirty years ago, it has 5,500 employees, with operational networks covering western and central Europe, and ventures in the Far East and North America. But while complex spreadsheets provided a means for analysing distribution networks in the past, GIST came to the software market looking for a product with more power and flexibility. After considering a number of alternatives, GIST chose CAST, attracted by its flexible modelling without being too 'data hungry'.

Following an initial training course, the software was first used for GIST‘s flagship customer, Marks and Spencer. Since then, many other supply chains have been modelled: including a gas cylinder filling and delivery network in South Africa, for which the strategic level use of CAST enabled GIST to consider many more network strategies than had previously been possible.