Meinders & Elstermann and Sappi optimize their digital procurement processes with Zaikio

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is starting the pilot phase of its digital industry platform Zaikio, which it launched this summer, in collaboration with printing company Meinders & Elstermann GmbH & Co. KG (M&E) and leading paper manufacturer Sappi.

Zaikio allows printers to connect with suppliers automatically, by providing a bridge between the IT systems of the printer and its suppliers. M&E and Sappi will be using the platform to optimize their digital procurement process for paper. M&E’s orders will be collected in the management information system (MIS) – in this case Prinect Business Manager – and logged as orders at the live, customized price. Following approval by procurement staff, these orders will be transferred directly into Sappi’s ERP system, which will reciprocate by providing the ordering system with information about availability and delivery options. This process lays the foundation for fully automated orders based on various factors, such as the current paper consumption or stock levels. As a pilot customer, M&E is providing vital feedback for the further development of the Zaikio platform.

Remaining competitive by optimizing processes is a constant focus for M&E. At its Belm site, near Osnabrück in northern Germany, the long-established company with some 150 staff primarily prints commercial products for discerning industry customers. Production is already highly efficient thanks to the latest Heidelberg technology, but M&E’s recent merger with Ortmeier Medien GmbH – an expansion that added another two sites and 200 staff – calls for further automation and process improvements. A large number of the paper orders are placed through IGEPA with the most important supplier, Sappi.

Sappi is a leading global provider of sustainable woodfibre products and solutions, and is the market leader for graphic papers in Europe. It also produces dissolving pulp, Packaging and speciality papers, Casting and release papers, Biomaterials and Bio-energy. Sappi employs 12,500 people worldwide and produces, among other things, approximately five million tons of paper per year, which are sold in more than 150 countries across the world.

For M&E and Sappi alike, the complete automation and digitization of numerous procurement processes is a key tool for boosting productivity and cutting costs.

"It is at the heart of Sappi's strategy to make print media faster, more efficient and even more competitive in order to highlight its relevance and future viability in the media mix. We therefore very much welcome the establishment of a digital industry platform for the print industry. This gives us the opportunity to get closer to our end customers and at the same time to digitize business relationships, especially in the standard segment, enabling us to improve service levels, reduce error rates and at the same time significantly increase efficiency", says Flavio Froehli, Sales Director Commercial Print at Sappi.

Jens Rauschen, Managing Director of M&E, adds: "We are pleased to significantly increase the automation of our procurement processes with the Zaikio and Sappi team. The Zaikio concept has convinced us. By integrating the platform into our process landscape, we expect to reduce the many interfaces in the ordering process and to significantly increase overall productivity in this area."

“Securing M&E and Sappi as pilot users gives Zaikio two industry giants straight after its launch. This sends out an important signal to others in the industry, encouraging them also to get involved, which makes it a key step in establishing the platform,” says Zaikio’s Managing Director Matthias Prinz.