Changeover to complete digitalization underway
First talks with PRAXIS EDV-Betriebswirtschaft- und Software-Entwicklung AG revealed what enormous potential there was in practical experience here, says Zschäbitz. The decision was taken to install the PRAXIS EDV flagship – “WDV 2020”. Behind this is highly integrated ERP, which was developed from straight weighing data processing. Here, over time, other areas, such as invoicing, recipes and master data, purchasing of raw materials, the laboratory, costing, material planning, the electronic delivery note and digital archiving, have been integrated.
Frank Kunath, sales executive at Kies + Beton GmbH for the Erfurt region, sees the big advantage for his work in the fact that he can see all important data for his customers at a glance, like, for example, the construction sites and sales, which brings a considerable time saving. Now the plants in Erfurt/Schwerborn, in Kirchheim, the concrete pumps of the BHT and the BVFW construction products sales are digitally networked with WDV as a genuine “Industry 4.0” solution. Data is exchanged via a highly secure cloud.
As explained further, switchover of the wheel loaders was also taking place step by step. Currently, they explained, an older system was in operation, which, however, can digitally transfer delivery notes to the WDV 2020. “For one vehicle, we bought a wheel loader console from PRAXIS EDV for testing.” Here the driver had immediately access to all WDV data, like, for example, construction sites and products, said Zschäbitz. The data of the wheel loader is displayed to all participants within seconds and can be immediately invoiced. Besides the time saving, the reliability of delivery note creation was much higher, which Zschäbitz sees an important advantage.
A first big test had to be passed by WDV 2020 at the Sontra major construction site for the A44 road in the Germany state of Hesse. There, in late September, a relatively large superstructure on a motorway bridge had to be concreted. The delivery of 700 t cement at the mixing plant at exactly the right time, so it could be used with the plant’s own gravel to make around 2000 m3 concrete for six large boom pumps and very precise sequencing of all processes – this was the logistic challenge for the new software. To guarantee the required seamless supply of concrete, here three mixing plants in Berka/Werra, Reichensachsen and Eisenach worked together.
Also the data transfer from the plant-internal control system of the mixing plant to the WDV 2020 functioned superbly. Thanks to the digital transfer of the delivery notes, the invoices can be created immediately. One prospect is the introduction of digital delivery notes for the external customers of Naumann/Kies + Beton, too. This will then be done via the delivery note portal “Bau-ELSE”, which is also being installed. “With this further changeover, we shall be able to save a lot of paper, and the currently necessary delivery note archive for storage will then be superfluous.” The system will be audit-proof as PRAXIS EDV was aware of all statutory requirements and can digitally fulfil the corresponding requirements, says Zschäbitz. To give all customers and supervisors fast access to delivery notes and technical documents via Bau-ELSE, parallel to this a “company cloud” is to be set up.