Ready for take-off: KREATIZE Launchpad
29 March 2023
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How have supply chains changed through digitalisation? Has this optimised procurement? And what is still to be done?
These questions and more were answered on 2 March 2023 in Munich, in the event “Opportunities from change”, an event organised by KREATIZE and the Business Creation Team of EIT Manufacturing Central.
This event from the KREATIZE Launchpad series focused on the potential of smart supply chains and digitization of value chains in the European manufacturing industry. It provided a closer look at the status quo in purchasing departments as well as challenges in supply chain management – topics that have been addressed successfully by established industry representatives as well as newcomers on the block.
The Impact Hub Munich was the perfect location to welcome the around 50 guests for the 7th KREATIZE Launchpad (Credit: KREATIZE)
People should take something home with them from a KREATIZE Launchpad. That’s one of the drivers or the concept.
Thomas Hoffmeister, CCO of KREATIZE
Thomas Hoffmeister accompanied the guests through the afternoon and flavoured his moderation with unconventional details about the speakers.
The potential of smart supply chains and digitalisation in procurement
Dr Andreas Wendt, former member of the board of BMW AG, kicked the conversation off. He emphasized the importance of motivating employees, excellent and stable processes and showed how competitiveness in production can be addressed through a head start in purchasing. With the provocative question “Would you assume that a hundred people in your company correspond to a result of rather 50 people working or rather of 200 people working?”, he made the audience think – and thus contributed perfectly to making people take something home with them.
Dr Andreas Wendt (left) in the interview with Thomas Hoffmeister (right) (Credit: KREATIZE)
“Nothing is any good unless it results in action”
Mathias Kaldenhoff, Partner Sustainability and Innovation Management at SAP, provided an ideal addition to the specific internal perspective with a macro perspective on the successful digital transformation of organisations. According to his credo “Nothing is any good unless it results in action” he insisted on the implementation of digital and simultaneously sustainable solutions in manufacturing as a twin transformation process.
When it comes to procurement, internal hurdles and the importance of lean and agile processes, there is no better way to learn about industrial challenges than through startups
Wolfgang Kniesjki, Senior Business Creation Manager at EIT Manufacturing Central
Solutions from innovative thinkers
Changing perspectives, Wolfgang Kniejski and Silvia Grätz, both from the Business Creation team at EIT Manufacturing Central, chatted with start-up founders whose companies offer solutions for the addressed topics. Christian Haas from covalyze, Franz Engel from nebumind and David Hahn from remberg spoke about smart innovations for supply chain transformation ranging from software platforms for purchasing categories to data analysis for discrete manufacturing processes or digitization of assets in platform solutions.
Wolfgang Kniejski also used this opportunity to speak about the benefits for corporates to work with start-ups and gave a quick overview of the services EIT Manufacturing offers to promote collaboration of start-ups and corporates.
Panel Discussion, from left to right: Wolfgang Kniejski (EIT Manufacturing), Christian Haas (Covalize), Franz Engel (nebumind), David Hahn (remberg), Silvia Grätz (EIT Manufacturing). (Credit: KREATIZE)
What made this event special is not only the speakers – they provided brilliant food for thought – but the intimate atmosphere throughout the afternoon and evening event during the “Beers with Peers” networking. Kudos to the KREATIZE team!
Silvia Grätz, Business Creation Manager at EIT Manufacturing
Our key takeaways
Operational Excellence is key: Processes must be stable and excellent before considering digitising them.
No parts, no production: Purchasing plays a crucial role when it comes to sustainability and competitiveness of manufacturers.
Challenge accepted: We should understand crises as drivers of transformation and focus on the related chances that they bring.
Proactive design: We should not suffer from supply chains, but actively shape and lead them.
Power to the people: People are at the center when it comes to transforming complex processes, supply chains or entire organizations. They should be appreciated, empowered, and inspired.
KREATIZE: Solutions to automate and flexibilise the procurement of mechanically machined customised components
KREATIZE’s unique cloud-based manufacturing solution, KREATIZE Manufacturing Services (KMS), enables companies to achieve cost savings in the procurement of customised parts by offering a plug-and-play solution. KMS is a one-stop solution that allows hardware companies to upload all relevant data of their custom parts, get additional feedback from our in-house world-class engineers if needed, and start the manufacturing process with the push of a button. KREATIZE thus follows the transition from the traditional procurement of components via online marketplaces to Manufacturing as a Service (MaaS).
Companies using KREATIZE can make up to 50% of their customised parts available for 1-click manufacturing. In other words, provisioning parts in the cloud through KMS: low cost, low risk, no investment, part configuration.