Oetinger Aluminium GmbH is a leading supplier of liquid aluminum in Europe. As a key supplier in the automotive and vehicle construction industry, the company has established itself as a fundamental part of its customers' value chain. Used in demanding applications, including electric motors, the global player's aluminum can be found in almost all vehicles. Oetinger produces around 180,000 tons of casting alloys at its sites in Weißenhorn and Neu-Ulm with 300 employees. Through its priority corporate project "... because we care", an ambitious sustainability strategy has been defined to achieve climate neutrality at all sites by 2040. The internationally active company places sustainability at the heart of its values. The company implemented a company code merge with DATAGROUP at the Ulm site, which merged two company codes into one target company code with the asset deal.
The aim of the project was to support Oetinger in preparing the system in terms of customizing and data transfer for the company code merge in SAP. Several company codes can be merged within one client. The objects of all SAP applications involved are converted consistently. The document flow is retained and the continuation of all ongoing processes is ensured. The FI, CO, SD, MM and PP modules used must interlock perfectly. Oetinger was supported in preparing the system in all modules so that settings and individual adjustments could be made to suit the customer. This was always carried out in close cooperation with Oetinger under the guideline "process transfer before process change". An important aspect of merge projects is always the legal requirements and the need to take these into account. This is particularly the case in FI and MM when creating and transferring inventory.
A detailed examination of the processes was necessary for the implementation, as further adjustments may be necessary in connection with a company code merger. These include structures (e.g. controlling areas), master data settings (customizing of general ledger, vendor or customer accounts), associated charts of accounts and existing number ranges. A migration plan was drawn up jointly and hand in hand, taking into account the necessary sequence and timeline. The implementation was initially carried out on a sandbox system, in which the first test migration also took place. For the transfer to the production system, the transports were transferred to the development system and manual settings were made. This was followed by distribution to the quality system. Another test migration was also carried out here. The go-live took place as planned.
The biggest challenge of the project was neither the technical aspects nor the constructive communication, but rather the project implementation during the coronavirus pandemic. The entire project had to be carried out remotely. However, thanks to the excellent cooperation and flexibility on both sides, these challenges were overcome very well and the project was even implemented with less effort than planned and on schedule.
"The cooperation with DATAGROUP in the project was very good and cooperative, almost collegial. DATAGROUP's consultants provided us with excellent advice and support during the course of the project. Based on the jointly defined project plan, everyone involved knew at all times who was doing what and when. It worked smoothly, like clockwork - despite the major challenge posed by the pandemic emergency. The very good expertise and the quick familiarization with the Oetinger process world were an important driver of the project."
About Oetinger
Since it was founded in 1946 by Karl and Walter Oetinger at the Weißenhorn site and Karl Konzelmann at the Neu-Ulm site, Oetinger has stood for premium quality in the secondary aluminum market. Oetinger specializes in the production of recycled aluminium. The lightweight material aluminum is a prime example of a closed cycle and recycling content. The metal can be recycled again and again efficiently (energy-saving) and without any loss of quality. Starting out in a self-built smelting hall made from war debris with the melting of old pre-war aircraft parts, which served as raw material, Oetinger has developed into an internationally active company over the years. Oetinger has been a top supplier of liquid aluminum for more than three generations. The basis for the quality of the products and processes is consistent quality management from the raw material to the finished alloy. However, the company wants to pass on far more than tradition and product perfection to the next generation. Over the next few decades, it wants to change the way aluminum is produced in order to deliver climate-neutral products that meet the highest social standards and have full business integrity. Oetinger has a demanding journey ahead of it, but is determined to meet such a challenge for the benefit of us all.
