IWK Verpackungstechnik – digital warehouse and material flow with 4PRO on SAP

Location: 76297 Stutensee, Germany · Industry: Packaging machinery, mechanical engineering, plant engineering, pharma, cosmetics, food · Products: Cartoning machines, tube filling machines, packaging machines and complete packaging lines for pharma, cosmetics and food · ERP: SAP ERP · Website: https://www.iwk.de · S4P modules: 4PRO

Initial situation

As a special-purpose machine builder, IWK Verpackungstechnik GmbH is one of the few manufacturers relying on a pulsed line assembly at its Stutensee site. As a result, the entire logistics chain – internal and external – plays a critical role in supply chain management. In addition, IWK provides worldwide service for more than 5,000 installed lines. With around 450 employees, cartoning machines, tube filling machines and complete packaging lines for pharma, cosmetics and food are developed and manufactured. Commercial and planning processes run on SAP ERP, complemented by specialised solutions for APS and project control.

Challenge

The SAP ERP modules PP, PS and MM did not fully meet the requirements of a special-purpose machine builder; years earlier IWK had already opted for FELIOS|APS to plan the entire order network and FELIOS|PM for project control. In 2018, after a thorough selection process, an eight-stage approach for a warehouse management solution was defined. The central challenge lay in seamlessly integrating goods receipt, picking, staging and shipping with the existing SAP and APS processes – without disrupting ongoing series production. In addition, material flows for service parts and international customer deliveries had to be represented transparently.

Solution

Modules deployed: 4PRO is used, integrated with SAP as well as FELIOS|APS and FELIOS|PM, for end-to-end warehouse management, logistics and transport control and operator guidance. The solution integrates seamlessly into the existing IT infrastructure with SAP and controls all relevant warehouse processes digitally – from goods receipt through picking and staging to shipping. Operators are guided through booking processes on terminals, inventories are synchronised in real time and material flows are made transparent. The interfaces to FELIOS|APS ensure that availabilities flow directly into fine planning.

Results and benefits

With the S4P solution, IWK Verpackungstechnik GmbH achieves end-to-end transparency in production and logistics, improved on-time delivery and a digital data basis for the continuous optimisation of manufacturing workflows. Inventories are always up to date, material staging for the pulsed line assembly is coordinated reliably and manual booking effort is significantly reduced. The consistent integration of warehouse, planning and ERP strengthens delivery capability and creates a solid basis for supply chain management.