At the beginning of this year, the GKT Group from Brakel, Germany (Eastern Westphalia-Lippe), geared up for the future by expanding its production technology and implementing a new software system. For even greater flexibility, automation and further growth, the company invested in a double edging and drilling machine, a highly automated float glass cutting system with a breakout system and an insulated glass line.
Additionally, GTK switched to an ERP and production planning software from HEGLA-HANIC that drives the machines and processing lines according to need. It optimises individual production steps, automates them in precise synchronisation with the cycle, and monitors and transparently maps them. For the newly implemented ERP functionality, all processes – such as order entry, work preparation, purchasing, warehouse management and logistics – are centrally pooled and directly accessible.
“For our production, this means a high level of automation and daisy-chaining the individual processing steps with short cycle times and a degree of workflow perfection that is impossible to achieve without the corresponding software support,” explained Dr. Jan Schäpers, the managing director of HEGLA-HANIC.
“We were able to boost the level of digitalisation and automation in production,” said Peter Egg, GKT Managing Director. “The status of production orders can be viewed at almost any workstation, which dramatically accelerates our processes and ensures that orders are completed on schedule and with the quality required.”
In the new HEGLA-HANIC system, the next digitalisation step has already been completed for GKT. Both customer orders and in-house orders for purchased parts and services can be digitally exchanged between the IT systems.
“The decision to implement new software is also a question of trust, mutual goals and constructive collaboration,” said Mr. Egg.
Together, the companies created a vision and were able to implement it in the agreed-upon project duration of only seven months. The successful implementation shows all the more how focused the analysis and optimisation of processes and their integration into the software can be, even in a project with such a high level of complexity.