More Efficient Value-Added Processes at VAG-Armaturen Due to Wayscs

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More efficient value-added processes at VAG-Armaturen due to waySCS

Wassermann solution adds powerful supply chain management functionality to SAP R/3

Munich, July 6, 2006 – Wassermann AG, the expert on process optimization, will provide VAG-Armaturen GmbH with a new supply chain management solution. The manufacturer of water and sewage system components and solutions aims to dramatically increase the transparency of the company's production processes. Using waySCS (Supply Chain Simulation), VAG-Armaturen will be able to plan and schedule capacities and resources for customer order related manufacturing much more efficiently. In addition, the wayMES (Enterprise Frontend) module will accelerate the exchange of information between all process participants. VAG-Armaturen uses the integrated Wassermann solution with SAP R/3. The SCM system is scheduled to go live by the end of this year.

The majority of VAG-Armaturen water and sewage systems are manufactured to specific requirements. Customers include the power and gas company E.ON as well as the industrial enterprise BASF. To better visualize and plan the resources and capacities required for the entire value-adding process, VAG-Armaturen has decided to employ a supply chain management solution developed by Wassermann AG. The shared objective is to reduce the overall order scheduling efforts.

"Within the last few months we were concentrating on selecting a SCM system. What tipped the scales in Wassermann’s favor was both the company's considerable experience in implementing SCM solutions and the software's visualization capabilities," says Dr. Klaus Stoesser, Managing Director at VAG-Armaturen GmbH.

Wassermann waySCS presents an order- and resource-oriented view of all business processes. The transparent depiction of all process steps, from the sourcing of materials to the finished product, relieves the strain on planners at the Mannheim-based fittings manufacturer. Now VAG-Armaturen can adapt production procedures to the respective order situation without having to excessively build up stocks. In addition, the powerful function to create and compare alternative planning scenarios helps the Wassermann customer adhere to short delivery times and ship on-time.

MES functionality included

The wayMES add-on module adds essential PDC functions (Plant Data Collection) to the Wassermann SCM solution at VAG-Armaturen GmbH. The system enables the input and submission of partial-quantity, waste, and re-working messages, as well as current employee worktime recording. It also allows supply chain managers to inform the shop floor of planned changes that may be necessary due to additional orders, malfunctioning machinery or delayed material deliveries.

wayMES can thus improve the communication between the planning department at VAG-Armaturen and internal (engineering, production, etc.) as well as external service providers (i.e. extended workbenches or suppliers) during the entire value-added process. The Wassermann solution provides VAG-Armaturen GmbH with an integrated, seamless, and consistently synchronized workflow.

Wassermann AG will assist VAG-Armaturen GmbH in the implementation of the waySCS and wayMES software until the new system is finally put on stream with SAP R/3. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.

More information is available at or on request.

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VAG-Armaturen GmbH

VAG-Armaturen GmbH is an international supplier of water and sewage system components and technologies. Customers include amongst others power and gas companies and industrial enterprises from various sectors.

The company was established in 1872 and originally specialized in pumps and heavy-duty valves. Today, the extended product range of the expert on water and sewage technologies comprises hydrants and house connection, non-return, and butterfly valves.

Mannheim-based VAG-Armaturen GmbH currently has more than 700 employees worldwide.

More information is available at

Wassermann AG

Wassermann AG, based in Munich, offers Supply Chain Management solutions for planning, scheduling and optimizing business processes. Wassermann makes manufacturing companies fast, on-time and profitable with a combination of real-time software and implementation-oriented organizational consulting.

The supply chain management expert quickly makes projects into measurable and sustainable successes through the software tools waySCS (Supply Chain Simulation), wayRTS (Real Time Simulation), and waySTS (Strategic Simulation). More than 120 companies from made-to-order & small series production, pharmaceutical & process manufacturing, and serial & variant production sectors depend on Wassermann's implementation and realization experience.

Wassermann AG constitutes the Consulting Services/Wassermann division of the Swisslog group, a global provider of integrated logistics solutions for automated warehouses, distribution centers, and hospitals. The Swisslog portfolio includes the development of complex solutions for warehouses and distribution centers as well as the implementation of custom software and internal logistics solutions at hospitals. In addition, Swisslog offers SCM-related software and consulting services. Swisslog is headquartered in Buchs/Aarau, Switzerland, and currently has approx. 1,850 employees in 20 countries.

More information is available at

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