Zeppelin Systems GmbH, Friedrichshafen, Germany, the industrial branch of Zeppelin, migrated their master data to a new ERP system by SAP with the help of simus systems and their software solution classmate DATA. 

Merging and optimizing data from different sources is the basis for a consistent communication, procurement and production strategy.

Using storage silos made of high-grade steel or aluminum, Zeppelin provides economical, reliable and protective storage of premium bulk materials along the supply chain. In 2009, the product range of Zeppelin was extended to the food, pharmaceutical and beverage industry by the acquisition of Reimelt Henschel GmbH in Kassel, Germany and Reimelt Food Technology GmbH in Rödermark, Germany. In order to develop the overall plant engineering and construction sustainably and user synergic effects between sites more effectively, Management decided to bring the IT systems of both parts of the business closer together and standardize processes in 2010. In order to achieve these goals, all master data and processes of the three sites, Rödermark, Kassel and Friedrichshafen had to be consolidated and old ERP systems had to be replaced by SAP and UNIPPS. The requirement for this was the cleansing and new classification of all master and material data.

simus systems qualified as an expert for class structures and data processing through previous projects at Reimelt Henschel and Reimelt Food Technology. For data consolidation and setting up a Zeppelin classification, the company from Karlsruhe used their software classmate DATA. Overall, 15 different data objects were converted with the support of simus systems. Apart from 364,000 material master data records, millions of lines and single objects from BOMs, purchasing info records, work plans and similar structures were imported to SAP. By the approach the software is based on, the existing sources were analyzed for contents in order to then derive features and ultimately a standardized classification.

Approximately 50 Zeppelin employees worked on implementing the SAP project, ten in the subproject ‘master data’. Dierk Uhr, General Project Manager for SAP, sums up the cooperation with simus systems on a positive note:

‘Thanks to the proficient support and the excellent software tools by simus systems, we were able to migrate our data quickly and hasslefree to the new SA system.’

Since it has gone live in January of last year, all Zeppelin employees access the same processes and data. Information no longer needs to be synchronized between the individual systems and sites in a time and resource-consuming way. What this means is immediate benefits for design, project planning and production but also significant savings in costs for purchasing and sales.