fuba car production

FUBA Automotive

Automotive supplier

All of FUBA’s clients and suppliers are automatically connected to the FUBA system thanks to ecosio's API and Web EDI.

Automotive message automation

FUBA Automotive GmbH is a leading global tier one supplier of receiving systems (antennas) for the automotive industry. The company has been driving innovation in the automotive sector with its developments for 50 years and has received numerous honours. FUBA is represented globally, with production sites in Germany, China, and Mexico among others.

After a change in ownership (FUBA was previously the antenna division of Delphi Automotive), new structures had to be built up quickly in the areas of procurement, sales, and especially IT. A tight timeline was defined for the transition of all IT processes, including changing their ERP system. The Hannover-based SAP specialist IT-P acted as overall project manager, including introducing the SAP ERP system and recruiting ecosio for the project. ecosio and EPO consulting delivered the necessary EDI solutions.

“ecosio is competent, objective, fast – the perfect partner for all things EDI”

Jürgen Probst, SAP project leader, Fuba Automotive

In a nutshell

IMPLEMENTATION

  • Survey of FUBA Automotive’s EDI requirements
  • Survey of all of FUBA Automotive’s client EDI requirements
  • Definition of FUBA Automotive’s supplier EDI requirements
  • Implementation and test of document mappings
  • Technical connection of all clients and suppliers
  • Web EDI roll out
  • Transfer of all connections as of 1 July 2016

REQUIREMENTS

  • Problem: Tight timeline for information and connection / transfer of all clients and suppliers

FACTS AND FIGURES

  • Project timeline:
    • Phase 1 / Germany: February 2016 – July 2016
    • Phases 2 and 3 / China and Mexico: November 2016 – June 2017
  • In operation since the beginning of July 2016.
  • Connected partners: 24 clients and over 180 suppliers, including all large OEMs like Daimler, BMW, Ford, and tier one suppliers such as Magna

OUR SOLUTION

  • ecosio API
  • Web EDI for Industry
  • EPO Connector for ecosio API with SAP

Full service EDI solution

The project had numerous initial requirements. All clients and suppliers were to be transitioned to a new EDI solution within six months, and a new SAP system was to be introduced at the same time. “Because of the complexity of our requirements, it was essential for us to find a high-performing EDI service provider. Experience in the automotive branch was important. We followed the recommendation of our SAP specialist and were more than satisfied,” explains Jürgen Probst, SAP Project Leader at FUBA Automotive GmbH, about their decision to work with ecosio.

“In spite of the tight project timeline of only six months for the subproject in Bad Salzdetfurth (DE), all clients and suppliers were transitioned to ecosio’s Integration Hub on time. ecosio’s expertise in automotive process optimisation ensured FUBA’s troublefree transfer to a new IT infrastructure.”

Christoph Ebm, Managing Director, ecosio

Competent & highly effective

“The seamless transition from Delphi’s EDI infrastructure to the new SAP system and the ecosio Integration Hub, including the exact implementation of client requirements and supplier connections, was of critical importance – in spite of the very tight timeline,” explains Jürgen Probst, SAP Project Leader at FUBA Automotive GmbH. The project’s first step was connecting the FUBA production sites in Bad Salzdetfurth in Germany. The second and third steps, partially occurring at the same time, were to connect the plants in China and Mexico.

The basis for setting up the EDI functionality in FUBA‘s SAP ERP system was connecting it to the ecosio Integration Hub – the control center for all EDI needs. The connection was made by integrating the innovative ecosio API interface to network ERP systems. To achieve this, ecosio used the EPO connector, which had been developed and successfully tested with EPO Consulting.

“When changing our entire IT infrastructure, including introducing a new ERP system and EDI solution, precise implementation was very important to ensure adherence to our strict timetable. We knew this would only be possible with a competent partner – and ecosio fit the bill.”
Jürgen Probst, SAP project leader, Fuba Automotive GmbH

This allows not only for the integrated sending and receipt of messages, but also for end-to-end message monitoring in the SAP user interface. “With just one connection to the ecosio Integration Hub, FUBA can meet all EDI needs and reach all business partners. Messages are converted to the target format at the ecosio Integration Hub and sent to the recipient – or the other way around,” explains Philipp Liegl, Managing Director at ecosio.

“The tried and tested EPO Connector for ecosio API was used to connect with the SAP system. This enables deep integration of the EDI functionality and monitoring in the SAP system. It also meant FUBA didn’t have to buy a SAP PI License.”

Philipp Liegl, Managing Director, ecosio

Flexible partner connection

FUBA needed to be connected via classic EDI with its clients, who are all large automobile manufacturers and automobile suppliers in the tier one and after-sales areas. ecosio took over both collaboration with the OEMs and coordination of the various required EDI formats such as VDA, EDIFACT, ANSI ASC X12, etc. At the same time, the VDA/ODETTE label formats were agreed with clients. Within six months, 180 suppliers and 24 clients, including all large OEMs such as Daimler, BMW, Ford, and tier one suppliers such as Magna, were connected.

ecosio envisaged two solutions for connecting FUBA suppliers. Business partners with their own EDI solutions are connected with classic EDI, while FUBA suppliers without EDI functionality can fulfill all requirements using ecosio’s Web EDI. The ecosio team was responsible for all coordination with suppliers – from initial discussions to final takeover of the EDI connection. The connection took place in three phases – Germany, China, and then Mexico. In total, over 180 suppliers were connected to FUBA using EDI. ecosio’s international team handily managed potential language barriers with Mexico and China. On the supplier side, ecosio also developed the “EDIFACT Message Implementation Guidelines” for ORDERS, ORDRSP, DELFOR, DELJIT and DESADV in collaboration with FUBA.

These MIGs were made available to all suppliers on FUBA’s supplier portal.

Best possible support

In close cooperation with the general project manager IT-P and the FUBA project team, ecosio acted as the interface between clients, suppliers, SAP FI, SAP MM and SAP SD. This cooperation allowed for interface topics to be quickly and efficiently discussed in the blueprint phase, and for client and supplier requirements to be considered early on. This, in turn, enabled a seamless transition in the go-live phase.

“We came to know and appreciate ecosio as a competent partner and service provider for all things EDI. They not “only” implemented their EDI agendas, but also proactively worked on solutions to problems with end-to-end processes. Quick implementation and short reaction times saved us a lot of time,” explains Jürgen Probst. Philipp Liegl continues: “Thanks to the EPO connector, EDI messages are delivered in real time from ecosio to FUBA and vice versa. Since integration of the ecosio API solution, EDI at FUBA has seen significant decreases in time and personnel outlay.”

“ecosio looks beyond EDI to ensure a holistic view of the entire supplier and client process.”

Jürgen Probst, SAP project leader, Fuba Automotive

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