Which planning strategy supports consumption of planned independent requirements for semi-finished material before receiving a sales order?

The correct choice focuses on the principle of planning without final assembly, which allows for the consumption of planned independent requirements for semi-finished goods prior to receiving sales orders. This strategy is designed for situations where a company wants to produce semi-finished products based on forecasted demand rather than waiting for actual customer orders.

In this scenario, the planned independent requirements facilitate the production of these semi-finished items, which can then be used in the final assembly process once a sales order comes through. This leads to improved responsiveness and efficiency, as semi-finished goods can be readily available to fulfill contracts or customer demand more quickly, minimizing delays in order fulfillment.

Contrasting this with other strategies, planning at assembly level typically focuses on managing the assembly process itself rather than the pre-assembly inventory of semi-finished goods. Planning with final assembly tends to require a sales order to begin production, thus limiting the flexibility offered by prior planning of semi-finished materials. Conversely, make-to-order production is strictly reactive, where production only occurs after receiving sales orders, further distancing itself from proactive inventory management that the correct answer supports.