This allows utilization and resource allocation to be reliably estimated. ProAlpha APS also displays scarce or overloaded resources and suggests alternative resources if necessary. Thanks to multi-resource planning, dispatchers can schedule overloads and competing orders, synchronize the availability of resources and provide the required material. "With APS, we can now plan finely, realistically and quickly," summarizes Harald Wienberg, Head of ERP/Organizational Development at Wesemann.

Without detailed planning, corridors and halls would be blocked

ProAlpha APS gives the laboratory fitter yet another advantage. This is because it not only allows the company to plan its production very flexibly, but also to start production very late in principle. "Unfortunately, postponements are part of everyday life for us," explains Wienberg. "If we were to produce with a normal lead time, all of our aisles and halls would soon be full." This is because orders are repeatedly delayed due to construction delays. In these cases, Wesemann would not be able to deliver the manufactured furnishing parts to the construction site. As a result, the parts would remain at the site, where they would take up a lot of space. At the same time, a lot of work would have been invested in one order and another, similarly time-critical order might have had to be postponed. Therefore, the lab setter's goal is to start production orders at the latest possible date in order to minimize such negative effects. He also schedules more orders than there is capacity for. "That way, we don't have any problems if orders are delayed. On the one hand, the detailed planning clearly shows all postponements. Secondly, we can reschedule in the shortest possible time so that we can deliver the parts to the construction site on time," explains Wienberg.

No more "scare stocks", but more production space

Thanks to ProAlpha, Wesemann has already been able to reduce shelf space by 75% in some areas and convert it into production space. As a result of the detailed planning, the material flow can be optimized and material stocks reduced. "There is no longer any fear of stock levels as there was a few years ago," says Wienberg. The reason: Wesemann now produces a considerable proportion of its prefabricated parts, such as connecting struts for media systems, in such a way that they are only in the warehouse for a week before they are installed for an order. The company used to keep the same parts in stock for five weeks. This meant that around half of the storage space consisted solely of safety buffers. "Former storage space was used to set up a new, larger powder coating system, which can achieve 50 percent more output and with which significantly faster color changes are possible in order to be able to implement individual customer requests with precise timing. The same procedure is also used in the area of cell, electrical and sanitary pre-assembly as well as in fume cupboard production in order to create additional assembly stations, which on the one hand bring us additional added value, but also ensure better planning and more adherence to deadlines," Wienberg is pleased to report.

Goal: Just-in-time production

Wesemann's old production planning was geared towards producing as early as possible. The laboratory fitter wanted to be prepared for everything and compensate for the lack of detailed planning. Thanks to ProAlpha APS, Wesemann is already producing much more efficiently. Looking ahead, Wienberg reveals another of the company's ambitious goals: "In the medium term, we want to establish just-in-time production à la the automotive industry. ProAlpha's detailed planning laid the foundation for this. The internal project "Wesemann 2017 factory planning" was then launched in 2013. Under the direction of a planning office, all production processes were analyzed and a completely new production layout was developed for the entire site. The conversion of the metal construction began in January 2016. Pipe lasers, welding robots, the complete aluminum processing with milling center and all other workstations were rebuilt "on the fly", so to speak, and a new, significantly larger powder coating facility was built.

The further conversion was completed by the end of 2016. With the help of more precise assembly planning and detailed planning from ProAlpha, it was possible to establish "production at the customer's pace". This means that "just-in-time" production is not just a realistic goal, but rather the solution for Wesemann to counter the uncertainties of the project business. am