SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
and weighed trucks or railcars are cleared . If not , the order is stopped .
Integrated but simple – and ready for more Volkswagen mostly relies on the standard functionality of AEB ’ s ASSIST4 software . Only three percent of the shipping and transport system has been customised , making it easier to install updates at any time . Should an individualised solution prove necessary , VW first checks for potential conflicts with other systems or current features before implementing any customisation . “ There are certain areas we don ’ t even want to touch , such as hazardous goods or export law , which are subject to strict regulations ,” says Hanitsch . In addition to ASSIST4 ’ s comprehensive functionality , Hanitsch praises the software ’ s communication features , which recognise all standard formats such as SAP ® IDocs and EDIFACT , making it easy to set up new interfaces . All key documents for exports or hazardous goods are stored in the software .
The nerve centre of the shipping and transport system is in VW ’ s Wolfsburg data centre . It provides data to all the
plants in Europe ( and soon worldwide ), and checks whether a specific change will have any impact on other sites . The system is generally very stable , and AEB and VW work as a team to implement regular improvements .
The solution is also well integrated into the automaker ’ s complex IT environment . A large company like VW , where many processes have
12 April 2016