Keeping track of 250 suppliers is no easy task for buyers. This makes it all the more important to ensure that all service providers are well integrated into the company's own supply chain. Sikla GmbH, one of the leading specialists in fastening systems, will in future use REMIRA's Supplier Platform for this purpose. This will digitalize all ordering and delivery processes, including labeling, and handle them on a single platform.
For more than five decades Sikla has been a competent partner for technical building equipment and industrial plant construction. In more than 40 countries the products of the company with headquarters in Villingen-Schwenningen are used. Around 250 suppliers regularly supply the family business, which was founded in 1967. The handling of all order and delivery processes has grown over the years to become an almost unmanageable task for buyers. In search of a solution to digitalize processes, save time and optimize communication with suppliers, Sikla found what he was looking for at REMIRA. With the Supplier Platform, the group of companies offers a cloud-based software solution that supports users in digitizing their procurement processes and ensuring smooth supply chains.
Entire communication on one platform
Until now, Sikla has relied on manual communication in its collaboration with suppliers. Orders are placed as PDF files via e-mail. Order confirmations have to be entered manually into the existing ERP system. In the future, the company will pursue a "global sourcing" approach. "All data that we send out is standardized. This is the best prevention against errors in order transmission", explains Michael Schnee, authorized signatory and head of materials management at Sikla. "The entire communication is standardized. By combining our SAP system with the inventory management solution LogoMate and the Supplier Platform, we are sustainably increasing our efficiency - especially the incoming goods process is accelerated significantly".
With the introduction of the Supplier Platform, media breaks are avoided. Orders are placed electronically and transmitted via the portal. The special feature: Sikla provides the orders in the Supplier Platform in various file formats. Suppliers can then automatically download them in their preferred format and link them directly to the in-house ERP system. On this basis, the order confirmation is generated and transmitted in reverse. This eliminates the need for the purchaser to manually compare the order and the order confirmation - and that saves an enormous amount of time. The software solution simultaneously checks the data received from the supplier. If the order quantity, price or delivery date deviate too much from the desired target, the Supplier Platform triggers a clearing process by the purchaser.
Labelling directly from the Supplier Platform
In the future, Sikla will use another function of its new software solution: Suppliers can create deliveries directly from the program with the help of order confirmations and generate a shipping notification at package level in the packaging process. In this way, shipping and product labels can also be generated, which accelerates the processes at goods receipt. The Supplier Platform will be launched at Sikla in November. Around 250 suppliers will then be integrated into the platform.
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