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Customer story Kölla
"Thanks to the database connections and the effortless exchange with suppliers, the cloud-based platform AgriPlace Chain was the ideal solution for us."
Stefan Kusenberg, Head of IT at Kölla
To clarify the topic of "connection of an Enterprise-Resource-Planning " (ERP) for future users of AgriPlace Chain, we had a detailed conversation with Stefan Kusenberg, Head of IT at Kölla GmbH & Co. KG. In the enclosed summary of this conversation, Mr. Kusenberg reports on the challenges that led the company to use AgriPlace Chain, what solutions our platform offers the company and what results Kölla is already seeing.
Challenge
Before we discovered AgriPlace Chain, we used a SQL database with front-end programming in which certificates, questionnaires, and documents could be stored. Basically, you also had a search function in this database. However, the big problem was that the SQL database was completely self-sufficient from our ERP system, and you could not connect both. Accordingly, we were looking for a solution that would allow us to connect a database containing all collected supplier documents to our ERP system.
Using this old method, it was challenging to keep track of all respective suppliers' certifications to ultimately meet customer requirements. The quality management department had to download certificates such as GLOBALG.A.P. individually and re-import data. Another problem was that we had no way to view our ERP system's supply chain structures in detail. This made processes more difficult due to our complex international supplier and customer base.
Our quality management department previously had to manually lock and unlock various suppliers to ensure specific customer requirements. This manual way of working resulted in an enormous amount of time, as the management of all suppliers and their data, such as certifications, had to be done by hand. We needed a solution that allowed us to easily decide between producers and suppliers while managing a clear overview of their data.
Solution
We were looking for a solution to allow Kölla's ERP system to remain the leading link in our processes. In addition, it was a requirement to be able to connect the merchandise management system with a database that allows us to check data records more quickly when receiving an order.
Our goal was to create data records such as supplier and producer data in our ERP system to be able to synchronize them with a supporting platform with database connections. Furthermore, it was important for us to better understand the supply chain structure.
Kölla was looking for a partner to realize a digitization and automation pilot project. AgriPlace presented itself as a young, committed, and dynamic company to gain a foothold in the German market.
AgriPlace Chain enables the automated recording and management of supplier documents. It provides a clear insight into the entire supply chain to be able to meet customer requirements at any time. With live feeds from databases such as GLOBALG.A.P., users are always up to date when risks arise in supply chains.
Thanks to the database connections and the effortless exchange with suppliers, the cloud-based platform AgriPlace Chain was the ideal solution for us.
Result
For the future of Kölla, it was the right decision to implement AgriPlace Chain. Data previously managed manually is now digitally recorded by AgriPlace Chain, can be called up at any time, and is synchronized in real-time with our ERP system. As a result, Kölla now achieves enormous time savings in managing suppliers and their data. Furthermore, the interface to AgriPlace Chain allows you to tap into a data pool such as GLOBALG.A.P. In addition, AgriPlace Chain helps us to keep an overview of all supply chain actors, which helps us a lot with, for example, IFS or the future CoC certifications.
Finally, work steps that previously had to be manually carried out manually are now automated. Thus, essential decision-making processes can now be simplified, which significantly relieves the quality management department. As a result, the QM team does no longer need to block and unlock suppliers manually.
AgriPlace Chain also allows us to work more efficiently in procurement, as the platform enables us to keep a good overview of the certifications of different suppliers. This helps significantly to meet specific customer requirements. This way of working ensures that each customer receives the certified goods that were initially ordered.