Kaiser’s Tengelmann Reduces Supply Chain Costs with Axway’s Store-to-Corporate Managed File Transfer Solution

In an effort to significantly reduce its supply chain cost, Kaiser’s Tengelmann looked to Axway (NYSE Euronext: AXW.PA) for its comprehensive managed file transfer architecture. The architecture enables Kaiser’s Tengelmann to exchange data securely, automate and monitor business processes, and connect partners quickly and reliably to their existing community. The increased efficiency and cost savings that the company achieved with Axway's solution resulted in a return on the investment in one and a half years.

Benefiting from Axway’s expertise, Kaiser’s Tengelmann was able to quickly set up a store-to-corporate infrastructure and an entirely new business-to-business (B2B) exchange platform that enables the company to continuously monitor and optimize each of their branches stock in a particular item. With over 2,500 supply-side connections to support the order-to-cash cycle, this new infrastructure resulted in huge cost savings and shortened the process life cycle. The AS2 communication protocol electronically processes orders, confirmations, shipping notifications and invoices into exchangeable electronic data interchange (EDI) documents. Additionally, the architecture enables Kaiser’s Tengelmann to quickly connect new store branches by transferring the Axway EndPoints software to the store branches, which benefit from the automated installation within minutes.

With Axway’s solution, Kaiser’s Tengelmann is able to monitor its data flows in real time by providing customized insight and a customized analysis of the technical and process-related procedures. Product records are updated with data from the branches within minutes. This warehouse management enhancement offers new programs, program updates and the prices of individual products to be managed in real time.

"We were eager to use EDI standards such as AS2 to minimize the technical consequences of a mass implementation. Axway helped us set-up large communities quickly and easily, which resulted in even more cost savings,” said Mark Michaelis, division manager ERP and IT quality assurance, Kaiser’s Tengelmann GmbH. "Using EDI and implementing our business process management strategy enabled us to eliminate manual tasks and expensive paper processes. Today, we send automated order proposals to our branches that are based on their daily sales figures. When we analyzed the savings we had achieved across the entire supply chain, we calculated that Axway’s solution had paid itself back in just one and a half years.”

"We are pleased we can assist Kaiser’s Tengelmann in proactively monitoring critical business processes, while creating a fast return on investment,” said Dave Robinson, senior vice president, Northern Europe, Axway. "Providing a powerful monitoring capability, synchronizing sales data and managing stock orders and deliveries is crucial, as it impacts each and every department along the supply chain.”

Download the case study: "Store-to-Corporate Managed File Transfer Reduces Supply Chain Costs and Improves Efficiency”

To learn more about Axway’s comprehensive managed file transfer solutions: http://www.axway.com/products-solutions/mft

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About Kaiser’s Tengelmann

Kaiser’s Tengelmann GmbH is part of the Tengelmann Group, an international concern that includes the subsidiaries OBI, KiK a Plus Online. The family business was founded in 1880 in Mülheim an der Ruhr and is currently run by the fifth generation. The group operates in 15 countries, employs over 80,000 people in 4,117 branches and achieves an annual revenue of €10.52 bn.

About Axway

Axway (NYSE Euronext: AXW.PA), the Business Interaction Networks company, is a software company with more than 11,000 customers in 100 countries. For more than a decade, Axway has provided leading organizations around the world with proven technology solutions that integrate, manage, secure and govern the business-critical interactions that accelerate enterprise performance. Our award-winning solutions span business-to-business integration, managed file transfer, business operations monitoring, process management, and email and identity security – offered on premise or in the Cloud with professional and managed services. Axway is registered in France with headquarters in the United States and offices around the globe. More information is available at www.axway.com.