Digital supply chain processes and forwards millions of datasets in seconds
03.09.2019
Thyssenkrupp Materials Services is adopting a flexible IT infrastructure for smart, agile management of all the company's processes along the supply chain.
The company's digital accelerator Desca (Digital Extended Supply Chain Accelerator) processes and forwards millions of datasets in seconds — deliveries, customer purchase orders, order execution and transportation logistics. And Material Services says its customers benefit the most from Desca as order lead times are shortened and warehousing logistics is optimised, which paves the way for new supply chain services.
An important element of Materials Services' strategy, Desca is said to enable one of the western world’s biggest materials distributor guarantee its customers access to global supply markets combined with in-house process expertise in the form of tailored supply chain solutions. This means that apart from the company's core materials distribution business, it is also systematically expanding its portfolio of services.
Materials Services CEO Klaus Keysberg said: “With Industry 4.0 environments such as Desca, we can significantly reduce complexity in global production networks.”
According to the company, Desca, which is based on SAP Hana, allows for flexible integration of data from various internal and external sources, unlike conventional ERP systems. An example is order information can be compared with processing data from Materials Services’ connected machinery, which will also be in real time and via an App in future. This is an option for sectors that place high demands on a flexible supply chain such as the aerospace industry, which was why Desca was first tried out at selected branches of Thyssenkrupp Aerospace in North America. The data gathered from all areas of the supply chain in the new ERP system are fed to “alfred”, the in-house artificial intelligence solution launched beginning of 2019. Desca also communicates with “toii”, the company’s IIoT platform that connects all its machinery worldwide.
“Smart data integration is the key to greater efficiency and customer service. Our new ERP system creates the technological platform for this,” says Patrick Marous, CEO of Thyssenkrupp Aerospace. Visualisations display the relevant data at a glance. Marcus added that Desca has a dashboard that shows the user what needs to be done in the next few hours, which helps the company systematically align its management model to the future.