SCM Insights Digitizing Repair Orders: a game-changer for efficiency and customer satisfaction in the aerospace industry In a dynamic industry like Aerospace and Defense, where precision and efficiency are paramount, every process counts. And one of these processes is the management of non-operational parts that cannot be installed in an aircraft or helicopter due to a need for revision, repair, overhaul, or the like — the so-called Repair Orders & Overhaul (R&O).Leonardo, a major aerospace, defense and security company, set out to fill the gaps to efficiently manage the specifics of this process, seamlessly integrated into a digital platform. But what really sets this endeavor apart is the idea of community. As part of the BoostAeroSpace community, Leonardo and another major aerospace OEM joined forces to transform the repair and overhaul ordering process for the benefit of the entire community as a pioneering co-leadership initiative.We sat down with Angela Marotta, Project Manager for AirSupply at Leonardo, to learn more about this extraordinary initiative and how Leonardo is benefiting from the new process:Repair Orders — a critical process in the aerospace industryAngela, could you please describe the role that repair orders play in Leonardo's business, how they have been managed in the past and what the limitations have been?The Repair and Overhaul process is a critical part of our strategic management and our customer services business, especially in our Helicopters and Aircraft divisions. We handle around 7,000 Repair Orders for Aircraft and 32,000 Repair Orders for Helicopters (for 1 year), involving about 600 suppliers. The process has four key steps: publishing, collaboration, acceptance, and execution of Purchase Orders (POs).While it all boils down to PO management, the first three steps have some unique characteristics when handling POs for R&O. These specifics were not fully covered by our previous solution. As a result, we had to manage some or all of these process steps outside of the portal.With a new and dedicated R&O process we wanted to increase the traceability of logistical movement of unserviceable parts, track negotiations, incorporate supplier quotations and enhance the status visibility of the R&O flow in general.It's fascinating to see the scope of the challenge, Angela. Why did Leonardo choose SupplyOn to address these issues?Our decision is in line with our company-wide strategy to use a single portal to collaborate with our suppliers on supply chain processes. And since 2017, this portal has been AirSupply by SupplyOn, the leading solution in the aerospace industry.Joint project for an industry-wide issueHow did this initiative to transform the management of Repair Orders become a joint project with another major aerospace OEM?When we selected in 2016 and implemented AirSupply to harmonize and advance our supplier collaboration on a group level, we also joined the BoostAeroSpace community in 2017. All community members are like-minded, innovative aerospace companies using this comprehensive, industry-specific supply chain solution.So, naturally, we discussed with both, SupplyOn and BoostAeroSpace, how we could extend AirSupply to support this process, both for our existing suppliers and for new ones coming on board. After all, the Repair and Overhaul process is a critical aspect of aerospace and defense. It follows the same rules for customers and suppliers across the industry. Customer support and service are paramount, and efficiency is essential for all.During these discussions last year, in 2022, another major aerospace OEM expressed great interest in transforming and integrating this process into AirSupply. We decided to work closely together on requirements, solution design, cost and testing. The very first co-leadership project among the BoostAeroSpace community members was born! Our common goal was to add value to the platform by implementing this key functionality for the aerospace and defense industry.For us at Leonardo, this project was a great opportunity to demonstrate our community and collaborative spirit: Internally, by aligning all of our business units around the request and identifying common requirements. And secondly, within the community, to verify how such a pioneering co-leadership initiative can become a great success. What are the essential elements required of a successful co-leadership project?Transparency in sharing information about common processes is key. But you also need an open-minded approach to solution design and a deep understanding of the impact of the process on all internal stakeholders. Last but not least, continuous collaboration with the procurement and customer support departments across all business units was critical to the success of the project.Project progress at LeonardoWhat is the current project status at Leonardo?The Repair and Overhaul Process solution has been released on AirSupply in April 2023 and is already up and running for the Helicopters Division since June 2023. We're currently working on the integration with backend of the Aircraft Division backend. This is set to be released in November 2023. The integration with the Electronic Division is then planned for 2024.Leonardo's onboarding policy is to enable all existing suppliers to use the new process and to take the opportunity to onboard new Repair Order suppliers.Can you tell us how this project has helped to address your initial issues, Angela?With the new Repair and Overhaul process, Leonardo aims to accelerate procurement time-to-market, ensure on-time payments, and improve cost efficiency in our Customer Services business. It aligns with our company's success drivers, which include digitalization, traceability, efficiency, standardization, and supplier collaboration. And what is next for this project, is there still work to be done?The solution released in April 2023 is only a first version. We have additional requirements planned for development in 2024. In the meantime, our goal is to expand the supplier perimeter and extend the solution to all Leonardo divisions.Community collaboration as driving force for innovationHow do you think you can influence your fellow community members to adopt this process in their organizations? What are your plans here?All BoostAerospace community members meet every year in a different location for a “Customer Day”. At last year’s Customer Day in Paris, we jointly presented our initiative together with the other participating aerospace OEM. During this presentation, we demonstrated how this solution enhances the AirSupply suite of functionalities.Technically speaking, we have implemented a set of enhancements that complement the existing Purchase Order process, allowing users to access dedicated screens to efficiently manage Repair Orders.This way of working has proven that new processes can be implemented efficiently while minimizing the risks of regression to the existing core process.Angela, looking back, how vital is collaboration in the community for a successful solution?Collaboration with the community and with SupplyOn is the key to success for Leonardo. The exchange of information, comments, and different perspectives ensured that we found an efficient and smart solution.Most importantly, this project has been a valuable lesson for the community in terms of working together on project management and addressing requirements in innovative ways. Are there additional points you would like to see the community tackle in the future?Yes, we'll be discussing additional requirements related to report management for the Repair and Overhaul process and to fine-tuning the solution for quote management. One last question, Angela: do you have any other plans for how you'd like to develop supply chain management at Leonardo that you can share with us?Absolutely. At Leonardo, we believe in sharing our needs with the community to further improve the platform. How to make it even more user-friendly and attractive for suppliers is an ongoing discussion, and we're eager to collaborate to achieve that. Thank you, Angela, so much for your valuable insights! Looking forward to seeing these plans come to fruition in the coming years. All the best to you and your projects.
Inside Girls’ Day 2023: … and action! On April 27 it was time again: On Germany's Girls' Day, five girls once again had the opportunity to get a taste of everyday working life at SupplyOn. With the motto "Empowered. Connected. Visible - Take your future into your own hands", we not only wanted to show them how exciting and varied the IT industry is - they were also able to put their talents to the test. But let me start from the beginning.The supply chain in a nutshellWe started with a welcome and a short workshop on the supply chain. Product Manager Carina and Product Owner Pia used a short explanatory video and eye-catching icons to explain how a supply chain works, why it is important and what exactly SupplyOn does. The girls then had the chance to get hands-on and build the supply chain for a car."Roll camera!" with the Onboarding teamIn the second workshop, our Onboarding team introduced the girls to the SupplyOn Studio and their work. Our consultants Susann and Charlotte first explained why we built a professional film studio at SupplyOn and how we use the content produced there. Charlotte then gave an insight into presentation techniques. Here, the focus was particularly on how to appear on camera and which aspects to consider when posturing, speaking and choosing words.Equipped with a lot of useful tips, the girls were then able to put their skills to the test both in front of and behind the camera. Three SupplyOn colleagues from different departments were on hand for the interviews. Two of the girls formed a moderator duo to learn more about their careers and everyday life at SupplyOn. Meanwhile, the other three worked behind the camera with Jonah, Susann and Charlotte. During this practical part, we were absolutely thrilled by the professionalism and self-confidence of all the girls in front of the camera. After one take everything was in the can. A big thank you also goes to our interview partners Patricia, Almudena and Pia, who gave the girls a candid insight.While Charlotte and Jonah edited the videos, Susann showed everyone how to create a supplier information portal in our content management system. The highlight for the girls: They will have their own Girls' Day portal with all the videos, lots of photos and useful presentation tips. A nice souvenir of a rich and exciting day at SupplyOn.Careers in the IT industry: as varied as life itselfAfter an eventful morning and some refreshments, the program continued. The next part was a presentation of different career paths. We had prepared the individual stages of four colleagues on a large whiteboard with pictures and slips of paper. Now the question was: Which step belongs to whom? Which job titles do I understand? What order could the career steps have?After a short period of reflection, Regina (Training), Maria (EDI team), Daniela (Consulting) and Katharina (Finance) solved the puzzle. Now the differences and diversity were easy to see. We have colleagues who are university graduates, others are high school graduates or have graduated from schools in other countries. From previous work experience as a security guard to an electrician to a receptionist, it was all there. And yet they all have one thing in common: SupplyOn.This is what we want to pass on to the next generation: A career path doesn't always have to be straightforward. Nothing is set in stone forever. And above all: Have fun doing what you do! After the wonderful presentation, it was time for a well-deserved lunch break. And after this refreshment, the day was almost over: At the end of the day, we reviewed the individual stations with the girls — and as a highlight, they were able to watch their own interview!Text written with great support from Julia Hughes and Katharina Winsczyk
Inside Design Thinking: the quest for the “Wow” factor "How do we generate enthusiasm among our customers?" This is the key question on Sabine Moudilou's mind. As Manager Supplier Quality at SupplyOn, she is currently looking into the potential for a new audit management solution. For her, this is about more than optimally meeting customer needs. More than covering as many market requirements as possible in a new solution. It is about the "Wow" factor. I.e. something that users themselves may not even have thought of — but that noticeably improves their daily workflow in one fell swoop. (more…)
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Use Cases RUAG Aerostructures future-proofs its procurement with AirSupply The aircraft supplier RUAG Aerostructures switched its ordering process to AirSupply. Simultaneously, the company extended it to include digital processes for forecasting and goods receipt. This allows RUAG Aerostructures to submit orders faster in bulk processing and to collaborate more efficiently with its suppliers on delivery dates and quantities. (more…)
SCM Insights Real-time transport visibility: what really matters Nowadays, everything is getting ever more complex and volatile. Today’s characteristic all comes down to "disruption is the new normal". But the key is to defy all odds in the best possible way. To stay agile and resilient. Be it a traffic jam, a shipwreck, a container shortage, a strike, severe weather, a volcano eruption or a pandemic that throws everything into disarray. No matter the cause, companies need to ensure smoothly functioning supply chains. (more…)
Use Cases Commercial vehicle provider reforms its order management with SupplyOn The customized production of a commercial vehicle manufacturer resulted in many individual orders from suppliers that are difficult to plan. By using SupplyOn, the company was not only digitizing its collaboration with its suppliers, but also optimizing it: In addition to individual orders more plannable delivery forecasts were introduced. This was the starting signal for a completely digital end-to-end process—from purchasing to invoicing. (more…)
Use Cases Leonardo advances its supplier collaboration with AirSupply Leonardo, a major aerospace, defence and security company, wanted to harmonize and improve the digital collaboration with its suppliers throughout the group. By implementing AirSupply, Leonardo benefits group-wide from efficient electronic processes that increase transparency, traceability and responsiveness throughout its supply chain and improve inventory control. (more…)
Use Cases Bosch provides suppliers with a comprehensive view of their invoice status, independent of the invoicing channel The Bosch Group receives its suppliers' invoices through many different channels, from paper to eInvoicing. Until recently, however, suppliers could obtain an overview of the processing status only for electronically sent invoices. As a result, in addition to balance confirmations or reminders, general inquiries about payment dates or the status of an invoice began to accumulate. For this reason, Bosch, together with SupplyOn, developed a Finance Portal that provides suppliers with a comprehensive view of the processing status regardless of the invoice channel. A request channel in the Finance Portal, which is integrated with other Bosch tools, further reduces internal administrative work and increases the service level. (more…)
