Reengineering of the SAERTEX USA site

Digitalization and SAP implementation: SAERTEX® USA modernizes production site

SAERTEX USA has further optimized its production processes in order to grow even more strongly in the economic area of its NAFTA partners USA, Canada and Mexico. Milestones in this reengineering process were the development of new key processes, the introduction of the SAP ERP system and the investment in a new Customer Service Office.

Throughout 2017, SAERTEX USA revised its local processes and structures to meet the increased demand for non-crimp fabrics in the NAFTA markets. In collaboration with SAERTEX specialists worldwide, key processes in production, logistics and customer service were revised and optimized. Improving the flow of information and digitizing processes was a key part of this reengineering.

In the summer of 2017, SAERTEX USA successfully implemented the SAP ERP system to better connect with the other digitally connected SAERTEX locations in Saerbeck, Portugal, India and Brazil. "With the implementation of SAP, SAERTEX looks forward to improved order fulfillment, tracking and reporting globally. Customers can also count on improved delivery reliability, lead times and process efficiency," says Ulrich Tombuelt, Chief Operations Officer at SAERTEX USA.

The new office space at the site in Huntersville, North Carolina is twice as large as before, with an area of more than 1,200 square meters. The old offices were converted into additional production space, so that the total production area at the US site is now around 15,000 square meters.

The smart office concept is part of the reengineering project of the second largest subsidiary of the SAERTEX Group. The local customer service and material engineering team is based here to develop customized non-crimp fabric solutions for the local markets. These teams are now located in close proximity to the production and logistics departments, which has led to improved collaboration and communication.

"Our customers are already confirming significant improvements in order processing and the flow of information. But we have set ourselves ambitious goals to further improve customer satisfaction. We see this as the basis for further growth with our existing business and in new markets such as transportation, automotive and construction," says Kyle Kraus, Vice President Sales SAERTEX USA, LLC.

In November 2017, the new standardized processes were certified by an ISO EN 9001 audit. The audit result was significantly better than the previous year.