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APQP: Quality planning process in supplier management

SUCCESS Story

APQP: Quality planning process in supplier management standardized worldwide

In just nine months, consultants and developers from CLC xinteg GmbH, together with the ZF Friedrichshafen AG project team, succeeded in standardizing important supplier management processes and making them more user-friendly and efficient.

"That was a real sporting achievement," we sometimes hear ourselves say when we look back on the successful completion of a tightly timed, tightly scheduled project. Developing and implementing the SAP interface on

The development of a collaboration platform, which ZF Friedrichshafen AG uses as the basis for its supplier management, was sporty in every respect - and very successful as a result. ZF employees and suppliers now benefit from major time savings and significantly faster processes. One reason for this is the SAP interface developed by CLC xinteg, which automatically transfers data in both directions. This is a real added value, as decision-making and approval processes can be controlled in a more targeted manner via an SAP workflow and documented in a verifiable manner.

Goals & requirements of the project

Electronic handling of the APQP process

Connecting suppliers to internal advance quality planning as part of the product development process via a cloud-based application

Workflow-controlled release of vendor parts for series production

Exchange of information and documents with suppliers and their storage in the SAP system with a direct link to the relevant business objects such as the material master, the purchase order and the inspection lot

Benefits & advantages

Standardization and digitalization of quality planning for purchased materials

Thanks to the modern and up-to-date application, users now have access to exactly the information they need for their processes

The outdated supplier management tool was replaced by a future-proof and secure solution

The outdated supplier management tool was replaced by a future-proof and secure solution

Business partners are given a uniform image of ZF

ZF Friedrichshafen AG

ZF is a globally active technology group and supplies systems for the mobility of passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology. The company, which acquired WABCO Holdings Inc. on May 29, 2020, now has 160,000 employees at around 260 locations in 41 countries worldwide. In 2019, the two then still independent companies generated sales of 36.5 billion euros (ZF) and 3.4 billion US dollars (WABCO).

INDUSTRY
Technology group / automotive supplier

LOCATION
Head office
88038 Friedrichshafen

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