Most recent articles
You don't need a software company. You need an ability company.
Which abilities are essential for the automotive industry in a time of unprecedented challenges? Why are people the key to digitalisation and why can't you get by with software alone in today's world? The following interview with Jaroslav Follprecht and Roman Žák, founders and owners of Aimtec, answers these and other questions.
A Brave New World in Automotive Logistics: Robert Cameron's Presentation at TAL2023
Face-to-face with a changed reality in the automotive supply chain. Step into the future of automotive logistics with Robert Cameron, Head of Production, Logistics, and Aftermarket Department at the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA). As a renowned industry expert, Cameron brings over 20 years of experience to the forefront, including his vital role in standardizing processes for the European automotive supply chain.
The most interesting quotes from Trends in Automotive Logistics (TAL 2023)
How should we connect AI with logistics? Will a green approach truly be a necessity? What path through digitalisation is being chosen by automotive leaders? At the Trends in Automotive conference, we all could hear a wealth of experience, tips, and declarations, which doubtlessly remained in the heads of more than a few of the nearly 400 participants. It’s no wonder, too, since this year’s theme was “Behind the Scenes at a Digital Factory”. Read our selection of the most interesting words on the digital transformation and automation – and change management and green logistics too.
Warehouse automation has become the key to competitive advantage
Swisslog, one of our main partners at the Trends in Automotive Logistics (TAL) 2023 Conference, is a leading provider of automation solutions for warehouses and distribution centers. In today's fast-paced business landscape, speed of fulfillment has become a critical factor for success. Customers expect goods to be available and delivered quickly, and businesses that cannot meet these demands risk losing customers to their competitors. In this article, Swisslog share their insights into the importance of flexible automation in today's fast-changing logistics landscape.
EDI ‑ A Communication Standard in the Automotive Industry
There is currently no alternative for the exchange of information between suppliers and their customers in the automotive industry. EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) has become an industry standard over the past decades and has outgrown its original purpose. Those who want to succeed in the automotive segment cannot do so without solutions and tools designed for this type of communication. In the following lines, we will outline where EDI can be used, introduce the terminology and show what types of messages, communication protocols and communication standards are used in EDI.
Hunger for change and the need for a strong team ‑ what do our TAL speakers emphasize when building a career?
The Trends in Automotive Logistics conference (TAL) is not just about technology and projects - it's about people and sharing experiences. So we asked the speakers what had given them the biggest boost in their professional career, what was most important to them. The question for all involved was: What do you consider the most important thing you have learned during your career?
The Logistics Tribe: Digital Tools and Transformation in The Automotive Industry and Logistics with Roman Žák
Aimtec has been an innovator in digital transformation since 1996. In a recent episode of The Logistics Tribe, Boris Felgendreher, Host of Business and Logistics Podcasts, sat down with the company’s co-founder and Chairman of the Board at Aimtec, Roman Žák, to discuss Aimtec‘s unique approach and how is Aimtec addressing the challenges faced by their clients in the automotive sector.
Transformation of the automotive industry and the labour market favour automation, say speakers at the upcoming TAL 2023
Important figures in the field of automotive logistics are heading to Pilsen again. They will present their views and experiences at the Trends in Automotive Logistics (TAL) conference on 16 May 2023.
Five tips for successfully digitalising a plastics production line
Plastics manufacturing is a knotty problem for digitalisation – but it can be untangled successfully. A typical production hall is furnished with variously old presses from a variety of manufacturers. Each one has a different communication standard, e.g. OPC DA, OPC UA or Euromap 73 or 77. How can you collect operator and machine data in this complicated environment human-free? Can you stay constantly informed and in charge of every event? Take inspiration from the story of this company that presses plastics for the leading automakers and gain a guide on how to implement projects successfully.
Local manufacturing and risk management will be the trends of the future, predict speakers at the upcoming TAL 2023 conference
Important figures in the field of automotive logistics are heading to Pilsen again. They will present their views and experiences at the Trends in Automotive Logistics (TAL) conference on 16 May 2023. Prior to the conference itself, we asked our speakers two important questions about future trends in automotive logistics and the ability of companies to withstand the challenges posed by supply chain disruption.
The Trends in Automotive Logistics Conference 2023: Take a Backstage Look at the Digital Factory
Despite all the current crises, digitalisation is running full steam – for manufacturing firms, the digital transformation is not just a possibility, but rather a necessity if they are to remain competitive. Anyone asleep at the wheel today may face a severe handicap in five to ten years, says Aimtec’s co-founder and supervisory board chairman Roman Žák. He also extends a cordial invitation to this year’s TAL conference, dedicated to digitalisation and other trends in automotive logistics.
Automation: only a scalable concept will ensure companies a place in the market in ten years' time
Automation has been penetrating logistics for many years. Automation technologies often include a barcode scanner, a device that is several decades old. It is therefore not surprising that the intentions and expectations associated with automation have evolved over time. These and other topics were discussed by Jindřich Kadeřávek, Managing Director and executive officer at Element Logic, Libor Mihalka, Managing Director at LogTech, David Strnad, Head of Logistics at ŠKODA AUTO, Jan Linhart, Senior Project Manager at Alza.cz and Rostislav Schwob, Supply Chain Solutions Director at Aimtec.
Automation diminishes flexibility. Aimtec’s Rostislav Schwob explains how to restore it.
A full 95% of the firms approached in the Trends in Czech Logistics 2022 study stated that they plan to automate and acquire more modern machinery within five years. Meanwhile, new technologies, sensors and approaches to managing large datasets are being developed constantly. New orders often bring changes to the processes and conditions inside a company. Many interconnections are formed in the midst of all this, which necessitates changing and developing a firm’s overall control logic. How should you approach these demands? Is it even possible to connect it all, manage it digitally from one place and have a single, functional digital world? We asked Rostislav Schwob, Supply Chain Solutions Director at Aimtec.
How not to get lost in the flood of OEM concepts in EDI communication
Recall (4905, 4984, DELFOR, 4A3, ANSI 830). Yes, this is also the OEM requirements for EDI communication. Hundreds of message types are exchanged, with each manufacturer requiring different standards. This creates a variety of different concepts that require different EDI system settings.
New logistics management let Germany’s RKT get a lead on its competition
Material handling costs, precise traceability, compliance with expiration dates. Every pharmaceutical company has to grapple with all this – including the German firm RKT. We had an opportunity to speak with RKT’s Director of Supply Chain and Logistics Management Martin Hofstetter about how it dealt with not only a digital transformation of its warehouse logistics, but also an entirely new warehouse management method.
EDI communication with new partners is now a piece of cake, says Thomas Schott of RAPA
RAPA supplies components and system solutions for automotive, healthcare and industrial applications. The approx. 1000-employee firm was long plagued by slow debugging of EDI communication with new suppliers and slow adoption of new EDI message formats. "Thanks to the cooperation with Aimtec, these processes now take a fraction of the time they used to," says Thomas Schott, head of IT at RAPA.
Digital tools will prevent deadheading and save tens of percent in transport costs
The cost of transporting goods is one of the most expensive items on a company's books. However, companies largely underestimate the choice of carriers. Using smart tools, costs can be reduced by tens of percent. Tomáš Marinec from AIM Partners explained how to do it at the TAL conference in Pilsen.
Moving to the cloud is just a matter of timing
Alexander Schrödel is responsible for IT at Rehau Industries. The company, which supplies polymer solutions for automotive, construction and other industries, has extensive experience in EDI. Schrödel himself sees the electronic exchange of data as a condition that allows the group to do business in the volume and time required. "It is a great challenge to achieve automation in the entire process chain and to start perceiving and optimizing the EDI process as a whole and not just as a queue of orders," says the German manager in an interview with Jan Stočes, Director of Cloud & Integration Solutions at Aimtec.
Automation Remains Main Trend in Czech Logistics Even in Times of Expected Crisis
What does the present and future of Czech logistics look like? Where are investments going? To what extent is the storage and logistics sector affected by the post-COVID situation and the war in Ukraine? These and other questions were answered in the unique Trends in Czech Logistics 2022 survey conducted by Ipsos for the SKLAD trade association, of which Aimtec is a member. 132 companies took part in the survey and the responses by their managers show an emphasis on deepening digitalization and optimization of logistics processes and warehousing.
Clean up the data jungle, centralize and prepare data for advanced production
The quality of system outputs corresponds to the quality of the inputs. This simple formula has been valid for many years, yet many companies are still amazed that gems do not emerge from the "data jungle". Diving deep into this jungle, integrating data from each division, cleaning it up and adapting it into a form ideal for production planning systems is a task for the Aimtec Data Intelligence product. How exactly does it work and what can it do?
Data. Data. And more data! How can you master it and ensure it’s clear and on time?
In manufacturing and logistics, you’re faced with mountains of data, and you need to master those mountains. It would be a shame not to use them. But how should you work with them and display them to ensure that they’re truly of value and that you can make good and informed decisions? How can you gain the information you need in just a few clicks – and in an an easily navigable form? Get to know the different types of reports that can help you.
Reporting, digitization and 3D visualization streamlines logistics processes by tens of percent
The complexity of today's industrial production brings manufacturing companies a huge amount of data that needs to be processed and then used efficiently. One example of such use of reporting data in manufacturing logistics is the data warehouse and the application of the digital twin of the physical warehouse, i.e. its 3D visualization. Aimtec supplied just such a solution to Continental's domestic division. Thanks to this it has reduced the work of warehouse stackers with high-volume material to a third and gained a perfect overview of in-house logistics, which will also facilitate crucial strategic decisions.
Air it out and sweep the cobwebs, or: doing EDI migration right
Companies in automotive spend easily dozens of years building up their EDI. And it gets reconfigured many times over those years. Meanwhile few teams are responsible enough to thoroughly document all the adjustments to their on-premise system. The end result is that the risk of losing or damaging data when migrating it feels stronger than the benefits that can come from an EDI migration. “A data upgrade and migration is a fundamental act that will benefit every company’s operation”, says Jan Stočes, Cloud Services Director at Aimtec. And this process doesn’t have to be a risk, as long as a firm chooses the right partner. But how do you make that choice? Learn what to watch out for and what trends you can put to work in EDI.
Paul Martinez and José Ruiz: SEAT:CODE digital lab is revolutionising SEAT’s supply chain
First the order, then production. SEAT’s digital division has turned this Spanish automaker’s entire supply chain upside down. An interview with Head of IT Delivery Production and Logistics Paul Palmero and Product Manager José Marín Ruiz on how technology and digitalisation can transform even traditional and unchanging industries such as the automotive supply chain.
EDI could be with us for the next 15 years, says RAPA's IT chief
Thomas Schott has been responsible for IT at Rausch & Pausch (RAPA) for six years. However, he has been gaining experience in information technology for much longer. In the early 1990s, he was there when reputable suppliers in the automotive industry were beginning to implement electronic data interchange (EDI) systems. "This topic has been a constant presence in my professional life for thirty years," says the German manager.
Optimising material flows thanks to smart automation
This July, experts in manufacturer material flow and value chain optimisation met up in Nuremberg, Germany under the leadership of the Bayern Innovativ business networking organisation to discuss things together and share best practices. The individual presentations offered up specific technologies and verified approaches and best practices when implementing innovations. Sales Manager Jiří Hanžl joined the event to present Aimtec’s experience in this area through a presentation on smart logistics automation.
The supply chain inside out: SEAT starts with the end customer
Innovative technologies and digitalisation are inexorably entering supply chains. Thanks to them, it is also possible to abandon traditional practices, as demonstrated by the presentation of representatives of the Spanish company SEAT:CODE at the Trends in Automotive Logistics (TAL) 2021 Conference, which took place in Pilsen.
SAP and EDI in the Automotive Sector: Entrust Integration to a Professional
Not many production companies get by without an ERP system today. One of the most frequently used is SAP and this also applies to the automobile industry. The complexity of current industrial production also requires electronic data interchange (EDI) between the various elements of a supply chain. Integration of an EDI solution into SAP is a tricky IT project and, if you think you can save money by giving the task to your internal IT department, then you could be in for a rude awakening. It is ideal to entrust it to the hands of a professional with long experience of the automotive sector and solutions directly prepared for implementation in the automobile industry. Aimtec, with its automotive SAP EDI package, is such an expert. What does the package contain?
Asprova APS ‑ a proven conductor in a new tuxedo plans production down to the second
The almost limitless possibilities for variability in production are forcing companies to look for ways to make it more efficient. One of the tools that can significantly help with this is the Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) system. In Europe, more than two dozen suppliers offer them, but there are fewer really good ones. Automotive IT specialist Aimtec relies on Japan's Asprova APS. Its new version has several advantages - even faster scheduling thanks to optimized algorithm, machine learning and a user-friendly interface. But it doesn't stop there.
EDI is alive and well, says Tolga Ozkundakci of IAC
Occasionally one can hear the opinion that EDI is slowly but surely leaving the scene. Ozkundakci strongly disagrees. At least in the automotive sector, he says, this is not the case.
