inubit bundles processes across three continents

Huf Group replaces decentralized system architecture with the central Process Engine by inubit

Berlin, April 15, 2010 – Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG, a global provider of mechanical and electrical key systems, lock sets, steering locks and remote controls for the automotive industry, chooses the inubit BPM-Suite as its central process platform. The company is replacing its various EDI solutions for the automation of sales, logistics and finance processes with the BPM-Suite. By streamlining its communication and integration processes, the Huf group is successfully bringing together the processes of its 16 locations spread over three continents.

Some of the locations used to have their own ERP and EDI infrastructures. The purpose of the centralization is to reduce the high implementation and maintenance costs associated with separate structures while enabling more transparency, efficiency and process quality. Employees will thus have access to a uniform platform for meeting automobile customers’ demanding speed and quality requirements. The affected processes range from delivery instructions and call-offs using just-in-time calls to sending delivery notes and transport data, invoices, payment advice notes and credit memo data. In addition to the national VDA message standard, EDIFACT, ODETTE as well as ANSI X.12 messages are exchanged using OFTP, OFTP2, AS2 and VANs.

Alongside its introduction of the “IFS applications” ERP solution, Huf also opted for the inubit BPM-Suite. As a central platform it will process the entire bi-directional data traffic between Huf and the customers of all its branches worldwide and forwards the data to the ERP system, which is also centralized.

In converting messages, the inubit BPM-Suite uses the standardized XSLT and XPath transformation languages in order to be open for future requirements for the connection of various applications and not be restricted by the limits of provider-specific conversion languages. Processes can be monitored technically from all locations and process status and progress can be viewed, while the user interface is displayed in the respective local language. Messages can be inserted into the processes again from all locations. Data contents or processing information from process runs or master data are transferred automatically to monitoring and visualized in the Enterprise Portal. Flexible master data and process rule
management make it easy to maintain and extend the process control parameters.

Due to the international character of the Huf Group and dynamic market developments, it was
particularly important that the solution used would be adapted to requirements. “Thanks to
inubit’s professional support and extensive expertise in the automotive area, we will be able to
successively integrate all branches into the new system over the coming months,” says Melanie
Keil, Huf project manager. She adds: “The software’s high level of scalability and use of
international standards guarantee that we can keep one uniform solution even when data traffic
increases in the future.” Once the inubit BPM-Suite is successfully implemented as the central
process engine, the company plans to connect the suppliers of the individual branches via
WebEDI as well. In addition, it is now possible to set up company-wide workflows using the
inubit BPM-Suite, which is provided to the employees via the central enterprise portal.

About Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst
Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst develops and produces mechanical and electronic key systems, lock sets, steering locks and remote control systems for the automotive industry. With a market share of more than 23 percent for locking units, Huf is one of the world’s most important providers in this segment. Founded in 1908 in Velbert (Germany), the company first supplied lock sets to Mercedes Benz (now Daimler AG) in 1920. Huf now employs approx. 5,000 employees located in 16 countries worldwide. More than 300 design engineers work in offices in Velbert and Günding (near Munich), Germany, in Wisconsin, USA, and in Chonan, Korea, as well as in Shanghai, China. Huf was the first company to develop components for the new car access and immobilization systems “Passive Entry” and “Keyless Go”.

About inubit
inubit AG is a leading provider of holistic process management solutions. With its purpose-built BPM methodology and the multi-award winning inubit BPM-Suite, inubit assists companies with the systematic optimization and automation of their processes as well as with the tactical and strategic introduction of Business Process Management (BPM). The DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 certified company currently employs 85 employees at its headquarters in Berlin and distribution companies in Vienna and Zurich and serves more than 350 customers in Germany and across Europe. Local partnerships and joint ventures represent inubit globally.

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