Playbook · MRO Distribution
How to run autonomous inventory and procurement operations in MRO Distribution (2026)
Last updated September 2026
Let the system decide the routine; your team owns the exceptions. 4 steps, in order, for a mro distribution operation.
What you are working against in MRO
- 15–25% of MRO stock excess or obsolete
- Most POs are low-value, off-contract tail spend
- Criticality and consumption buried in spreadsheets
Before you start: where MRO usually sits
| Metric | Typical for MRO | What good looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory Turnover Ratio | 2–4 turns | Criticality buffers lower turns; target the dead tail |
| Quote Turnaround Time | 1–3 days | Tail-spend RFQs are the biggest speed opportunity |
| Fill Rate | 90–97% | Critical-spare fill rates run higher by design |
Published ranges, not targets. Take your own baseline before step one.
The steps
- 1Automate routine replenishment, sourcing, and disposition decisions
- 2Escalate only exceptions and value calls to a person
- 3Codify tribal knowledge into always-on decisioning
- 4Scale operations without adding headcount
Why it pays off
Frequently asked questions
How do you tell whether this is working in mro distribution?
Recompute the same way each period. Inventory Turnover Ratio: Inventory Turns = Cost of Goods Sold ÷ Average Inventory. Quote Turnaround Time: Quote Turnaround = Time(quote sent) − Time(RFQ received). Fill Rate: Fill Rate = Units Shipped from Stock ÷ Units Ordered.
What does MRO start from?
Inventory Turnover Ratio of 2–4 turns is the published band for mro distribution — criticality buffers lower turns; target the dead tail. The 4 steps above are the same in any sector; the band you start from is not.
See what your inventory is really costing you.
Tell us where the cash is trapped — excess stock, idle surplus, slow RFQs — and we'll show you the outcome Maintained can unlock.