Manufacturing Execution Systems – MES Consulting

MES Selection

We’ll guide you through the maze of vendors—for a seamless and tailored MES integration

Selecting the right manufacturing execution system is a highly complex decision. Consequently, the biggest challenges stem from the fact that the transition affects the entire order processing workflow and therefore requires a comprehensive solution. Structures in the system landscape and process execution that have evolved over the years are often highly customized, sometimes opaque, and frequently unknown. As a result, the compatibility of actual processes often cannot be aligned with what vendors offer. A well-founded approach within the framework of MES consulting helps to manage this complexity by analyzing existing processes, structuring requirements, and identifying suitable solutions. Many companies therefore postpone the selection of an MES for as long as possible, which in turn leads to increased time pressure. Additionally, the multitude of vendors complicates the selection process, as companies often fail to recognize the differences between the solutions.

Our production and process specialists will guide you through the entire selection process for MES integration and beyond, if needed. To ensure a structured approach, we work with you to identify the critical business processes and key users, which we then use to create a requirements specification and a long list of potential solutions. Furthermore, drawing on our extensive experience in process consulting, we map the current production processes and work with key users to define new target processes. These serve as the basis for selecting potential vendors (shortlist).

This is followed by workshops in which the vendors present their solutions to you. To this end, we work with you to develop an evaluation framework. We then use all the information gathered to formulate a recommendation for action and draft a roadmap for the MES implementation. We also use our expertise to assist with the final contract draft to ensure that the provider meets your requirements.

Our service packages:

• Develop longlist and shortlist
• Create requirements catalog after process development
• Prepare tender documents and specifications for system and vendor selection
• Conduct beauty contests with potential vendors
• Evaluate potential solutions and develop recommendations for action
• Develop a roadmap for MES implementation

Your benefit:

1. System selection tailored to your processes and requirements
2. Personalized Roadmap for the System’s Implementation
3. Relieve the burden on your departments through professional management of the selection process
4. High confidence in decision-making thanks to a structured and objective selection process from the perspective of a process consultant.

MES Implementation

The Right Building Blocks for Successful MES Integration

Once the selection process has been completed and a decision has been made regarding the system provider, the next step is to implement the selected system in your company and successfully replace the legacy system. This involves configuring the Manufacturing Execution System to meet your requirements, potentially developing custom modules, or creating interfaces with existing systems. A structured MES integration ensures that these transitions proceed smoothly and that ongoing operations are not disrupted. Furthermore, MES integration usually also requires adjustments to work organization and the design of new, lean processes. Early-stage MES consulting ensures that all relevant requirements are identified in a timely manner and taken into account in project planning. Because only when MES integration is approached holistically—both technically and organizationally—can the system’s full potential be realized.

To ensure your employees can work successfully in the new system once it goes live, it is important to train them on the newly established structures and system functions. The challenge lies in efficiently managing the complex MES project while simultaneously engaging and empowering your staff to embrace the upcoming changes and working with them to build a future-ready organization with lean yet effective workflows. Our comprehensive MES consulting services support your company through every phase of the implementation process—using a methodical, process-oriented, and practical approach.

We are your partner for the successful and seamless implementation of the Manufacturing Execution System in your company—from project planning and management to the development of lean target processes using the new system, to training specialists as part of a change management process, and supporting system configuration and business integration from a process perspective.

Our service packages:

• Project and stakeholder management to ensure compliance with defined project objectives
• Develop target processes to design an optimal workflow using the new MES
• Derive the need for changes (e.g. organizational adjustments)
• Managing and supporting change and transformation processes
• Business integration tests support processes
• Compare the success of the implementation with the defined requirements

Your benefit:

1. A smooth and targeted implementation of your MES system
2. Streamlined and future-proof processes for efficient production
3. Reliable implementation of the defined requirements in terms of time, budget, and quality
4. Involvement of all stakeholders, key users, and process owners in the MES project

Organizational development

Exploit the potential of your employees

Is there a lot of untapped potential within your organization? Is there a lack of initiative for improvement, or has development come to a standstill? To build a successful and sustainable business, you need a clear vision, mission, and strategy. Based on these, it is essential to create a foundation for stability, progress, and development. This also involves consistently and evenly advancing and balancing the development of corporate structures, competencies, and culture.

An MES integration not only leads to structural changes but also impacts employee skills and corporate culture. While this process presents a challenge, it also offers an opportunity to drive change within your organization. Work with us as part of our MES consulting services to lay the foundation for building a dynamic organization with intrinsically motivated employees.

Our service packages:

• Define the vision and mission and develop a corporate strategy
• Developing Goals and Key Performance Indicators
• Developing structural elements with your teams
• Develop a goal- and solution-oriented management culture
• Continuously support and empower stakeholders in change and development processes
• Implement agile ways of working and thinking in the organization

Your benefit:

1. A clear strategic direction for a sustainable organization
2. Greater motivation and personal responsibility among your employees
3. A greater willingness to embrace change and accept new ways of working
4. Promoting goal- and solution-oriented employees

Process consulting

Lean, value-driven end-to-end processes with MES consulting

Are your business processes undocumented or only partially documented? Or is the existing documentation outdated and no longer current? Often, processes within a company are created only within individual departments, but are neither designed with a focus on value from the customer’s perspective nor across departments. Such processes are not suitable as a basis for selecting and implementing a Manufacturing Execution System. MES integration offers significant potential for optimization in this regard. End-to-end processes are developed in collaboration with key users, focusing on customer value (e.g., higher delivery reliability, on-time delivery, or faster response times). When implementing an MES, it is therefore crucial to choose a provider that aligns with your company’s target processes and supports sustainable process optimization.

Drawing on our many years of experience, we help you analyze your current processes, identify opportunities for optimization, and create value-driven end-to-end target processes. We apply state-of-the-art methods for process optimization. Based on this, we define use cases for vendor selection and identify standardized and customized solutions. During the rollout of the new system, we refine the end-to-end processes and adapt them to specific requirements. This ensures that your employees can work with efficient, system-supported workflows at the time of implementation—and that they are actively involved in developing these new processes.

Our service packages:

• Record and document actual processes with the key users
• Initial and pragmatic development of target processes together with key users
• Define use cases for the beauty contest and provider selection
• Further develop end-to-end target processes based on the functions in the new system

Your benefit:

1. Transparency regarding opportunities for optimization throughout the process chain
2. Streamlined and customer-focused end-to-end processes
3. Selection of vendors based on target process structures
4. Seamless integration between MES and target processes

System landscape and configuration

Transparent inventory: identify risks and weak points, define target image

The rapid development of new IT solutions presents challenges for many departments. The swift implementation of new solutions—particularly MES integration—is crucial to business success, yet a holistic approach often falls by the wayside.

The result: The IT landscape of many companies consists of a collection of siloed solutions. These make maintenance time-consuming and cause potential benefits at the interfaces to be lost. This leads to two key problems: New technologies are difficult to apply to distributed systems, especially when individual systems or versions are being phased out. Furthermore, there is often a lack of experts for older systems. Consequently, conducting a risk assessment of the IT landscape is virtually impossible.

To ensure the successful integration and implementation of your MES, we conduct a thorough review of your entire system landscape as part of our MES consulting services. Drawing on our extensive operational and process expertise, we document and analyze the key systems and workflows across all departments. This creates a digital map of your system landscape that takes into account both existing and missing interfaces.

In joint workshops with the various departments, we develop a digital target image for your system landscape. We always keep an eye on the latest state-of-the-art solutions. We will then work with you to determine which systems and processes should continue to operate independently and which should be covered by the MES. We place particular emphasis on the potential integration of MES interfaces with APS (Advanced Planning and Scheduling), PPS (Production Planning System), BDE (Production Data Acquisition), and MDE (Machine Data Acquisition). Throughout the entire implementation process, we act as a liaison between the implementation provider and the business department to ensure a customized configuration tailored to your requirements.

Our service packages:

• Provide transparency regarding the existing system landscape
• Document the current state of the systems, interfaces, and data flows
• Identify relevant systems and dependencies
• Integrate MES into the existing system landscape
• Develop a vision for a future-proof IT infrastructure

Your benefit:

1. Overview of Systems, Interfaces, and Dependencies
2. Identifying risks and opportunities for optimization in your IT environment
3. Future-proof system architecture for continued growth and digitalization

Change management

Mastering MES Transformation Through Systematic Change Management

The implementation of a new Manufacturing Execution System brings significant changes and challenges for all employees. Old habits must be set aside as new workflows and structures take shape. Ideally, these changes should be driven by the employees themselves to maintain their motivation both during and after the implementation. Structured and customized change management is essential for this. It lays the foundation for successfully navigating the various phases of the MES project by implementing targeted measures for communication, training, and empowerment.

We would be happy to work with you to develop a change management strategy that includes specific measures tailored to the individual needs of your employees at every stage of the project. This will ensure that your employees’ performance and motivation remain high both during and after the MES integration, and that they play an active role in shaping the change process.

Our service packages:

• Develop a change management plan
• Derive concrete measures to support change
• Develop a communication strategy and communication initiatives
• Develop training and competency development plans that include appropriate measures
• Track all measures introduced and evaluate their effectiveness

Your benefit:

1. Efficient implementation of the new system in your organization
2. Transparent and target-audience-specific communication during the transformation
3. Qualified professionals with the necessary expertise in new processes and systems
4. High motivation and active participation of your employees in the change process