CASE STUDY
SCHULER + KREATIZE
“Schuler was looking for a solution to automate procurement of mechanical parts and the KREATIZE Cloud Manufacturing Platform was technically as well as commercially the best solution.“ Thomas Kucher, VP Procurement at Schuler
Learn how schuler Automates Procurement and Saves Money
How Schuler automated over 40% of its mechanical parts procurement.
Schuler AG uses the Cloud Manufacturing Platform of KREATIZE to automate its purchasing processes to significantly increase efficiency and ensure excellent delivery times and high part quality.
Founded by Louis Schuler in 1839 and based in Göppingen, Germany, Schuler AG counts some of the largest automotive manufacturers and their suppliers as customers.
Schuler is known for its great designs and high-quality components for the chassis, engine and bodywork—not only making cars look attractive, but also guaranteeing their safety and comfort. Through the group’s vast number of companies and subsidiaries it is able to offer its complete systems from a single source. In order to do this as efficiently as possible, the company prioritizes process automation across the entire business, from purchasing to the factory floor.
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE
Schuler Pressen's achievements with KREATIZE
Of part portfolio automated
Savings on part costs
Resilience through a global network of suppliers
Big Shifts in Manufacturing.
The challenge
“Schuler is a special machine builder, which means that we are responsible for customer solutions—meaning the customer usually specifies the workpiece needed and Schuler provides a solution for it,” explains Kucher. Their challenge is to make delivery times as short as possible.
To this end, KREATIZE presented Schuler with their Cloud Manufacturing Platform which provides access to a global network of manufacturing capabilities. KREATIZE takes end-to-end responsibility for managing manufacturing, quality control, logistics and delivery of specific custom parts, helping Schuler increase their rate of automation, especially in the area of mechanical parts processing. “This was the best concept in terms of both technical and commercial feasibility,” says Kucher.
“We integrated KREATIZE into our process as a supplier, and the first sample orders were so good in terms of material availability, delivery reliability, and quality that we then continuously expanded our use.”
The solution: A Smart Sourcing Strategy
Thomas Kucher is responsible for strategic procurement and category management globally at Schuler Group. In search of an innovative solution for automating the procurement process to improve costs and efficiency, Kucher met with KREATIZE to review Schuler’s component portfolio and determine areas for potential savings. The company was looking for a smart sourcing strategy to streamline the manufacturing of certain process-intensive parts by focusing on a few suppliers and automating as much as possible.
KREATIZE now occupies a preferred position in the Schuler supplier pool and is designated as an A-supplier. “The entire process must be commercially interesting for Schuler and the handling must be easy. KREATIZE fulfills the purchasing magic triangle, which covers costs, quality, and time,” says Kucher.
According to the company’s KPI measurement system, the lead times with KREATIZE are very good, despite the dynamic market conditions, and NC (Non-Compliant) rate is virtually non-existent.