Mondi Group Benefits From Efficient Ordering Processes Via the Integrated Voith Paper Webshop
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Since the Voith Paper Webshop was launched in 2017 the number of users has risen continuously. Worldwide, more than 96 companies are already using the newly developed online tool from Voith’s digital portfolio. The Mondi Group, which has more than 100 production facilities in 30 countries worldwide, is now also relying on Voith’s simple, time-saving and cost-saving ordering processes.
In the past, Mondi purchasing staff had used electronic catalogs to order replacement parts, raw materials or office supplies. However Wolfgang Stramitzer, who headed the project in his capacity as Project Manager Procurement Excellence at Mondi, stresses that the webshop developed by Voith has little in common with the eProcurement processes previously used: “Thanks to the wealth of extra services like 24/7 availability or order tracking, the webshop offers significantly more benefits. For me it is an outstanding model that further improves the efficiency of our Group.” For example, order tracking allows Mondi to see exactly when an order will arrive. Necessary downtimes can be planned precisely and kept as short as possible. At the same time, the availability of the machine is increased.
For Markus Wenzl, Head of Procurement at the Mondi Neusiedler facility, the webshop is also an important tool for the maintenance of the system. “The webshop offers a high quality of data and simple and secure access to replacement parts. In addition, information like pre-populated spare parts lists, customized packages and the ordering history help us keep production running,” says Wenzl.
A further key to the success of the webshop is the personalization of access, which makes the ordering process much simpler. Item numbers in the webshop correspond with Mondi item numbers. In addition, the system stores the details of the specific wear and spare parts for each of the customer’s paper machines. Because paper machines have a high degree of individualization, this function allows significant acceleration of the ordering process. Purchasing staff no longer need to select a product in a catalog from a number of variants but will directly find the right parts for the respective machine. Moreover, a lot of information on the machine, from the original delivery to the ordering history and operating instructions are integrated into the personalized section of the Voith Paper Webshop.
Seamless integration of the Voith Paper Webshop into Mondi’s purchasing system enables optimized processes and reduces administration effort. At the Mondi Group, the integration of the webshop into the SAP Ariba platform will take place in the first quarter of 2020. Currently, the webshop is still integrated into an existing Mondi catalog system via an OCI interface and is being used in the Neusiedler pilot paper mill in Hausmening, Austria. The sharing of all documents important for the ordering process, like order and order confirmation, is already being done fully automatically and electronically, also via SAP Ariba. Currently, the project teams are working on processing the data for the remaining Mondi subsidiaries. In all cases the secure exchange of data is of course guaranteed.
The Voith Paper Webshop is tailored precisely to the needs of customers. “Usually, the supplier comes and shows us what it has. Voith, on the other hand, asked us what we need,” says Markus Wenzl. This willingness to listen to the customer was a characteristic of the entire project and a further key to implementation. The Mondi Group’s extensive experience with eProcurement also helped. “It was fun to work with Mondi. You really noticed that the company has a lot of experience in eProcurement and therefore knows exactly what is needed to make this kind of project a success for both parties,” says Björn Kleigrewe, Project Manager from the Voith Webshop Team. Wolfang Stramitzer adds: “Of course there were always challenges. But thanks to Voith’s willingness to pursue new approaches we were always able to find a sustainable solution.”
