Tuning for the supply chain

A global automotive supplier calculates and optimizes its logistics processes in SAP for process control with a certified SAP add-on. The modules used support the company in demand and inventory-optimized controlling as well as in the best possible control of the entire company through cross-country and cross-plant transparency.

ZF Friedrichshafen is a leading global technology group in driveline and chassis technology as well as active and passive safety technology. The company is represented by 137,000 employees at around 230 locations in almost 40 countries. In 2016, ZF generated sales of 35.2 billion euros.

Increase performance

The product portfolio includes technologies to increase drive efficiency, vehicle safety and reliability as well as automated driving. Against this backdrop, it is therefore logical that the technology leader is also focusing internally on efficient, safe and automated processes.

At the DSAG annual congress, Udo Wessbecher, Head of IT Supply Management Inbound ZF Friedrichshafen, became aware of the SAP add-on Dispo-Cockpit from GIB in Siegen, which has already enabled numerous national and international companies to improve their process management and controlling. ZF then became interested in the software in order to tackle the implementation of its own improvement and optimization goals.

At this point, the software programs used at ZF were already reaching their limits. Various self-written analysis tools were struggling with performance problems. "The GIB Dispo-Cockpit was the optimal solution.

We planned to use the analysis software worldwide. This would not have been possible with the specially developed solution due to a lack of functionality," recalls Wessbecher. The automotive supplier uses the Dispo Cockpit modules for Operations, Controlling and Planning.

Uniform standard

The Dispo-Cockpit Operations module was first introduced in 2011, initially in one plant and later in a further eight plants; the Dispo-Cockpit is currently being introduced at Hungarian and Russian sites.

"Our aim was to use the module to obtain an overview of all relevant scheduling information and to make day-to-day work easier and more targeted thanks to the newly created transparency"

says Wessbecher.

"This is exactly what happened."

Modern, intuitive user interfaces that enable quick and clear navigation were also important to the automotive supplier. In order to enable fast and smooth use of the two Dispo Cockpit modules Operations and Controlling, the users learned in training sessions how they can ideally apply the software to their individual work processes. The Controlling module is even used worldwide at ZF.

After an intensive profitability test and a comparison with six other solutions, it was rolled out in 150 plants around the world two years ago. The Dispo-Cockpit Controlling module now ensures inventory-optimized orders and a significant increase in delivery readiness thanks to Group-wide transparency.

"With this tool, we have managed to create a uniform Group standard"

says Rainer Grimm, IT Supply Management Inbound ZF Friedrichshafen.

"We can now guarantee the same controlling methodology worldwide."

The technology group has drawn a positive balance from the investment and acquisition. From the company's point of view, these have brought benefits above all by enabling a standardized controlling procedure and at the same time through intuitive user interfaces.

The Planning module is currently being tested at the Friedrichshafen site during the project phase. The project team emphasizes that the delivery of the software solutions was also accompanied by the transfer of specialist knowledge.