The Double Dividend of Digitalization: Efficiency and Resilience
LISI AUTOMOTIVE – Excellence Under Pressure
The global automotive industry operates in an environment of unprecedented complexity and volatility. Amidst this challenging market, LISI AUTOMOTIVE KKP GmbH & Co. KG, based in Mellrichstadt, operates as a highly specialized and internationally recognized partner to the automotive industry. The company is an integral part of the global LISI Group, an international family-owned business established in 1777, which specializes in the development and manufacture of fastening solutions and mechanical safety components. The plant in Mellrichstadt is considered a center of excellence, exporting its products to four continents and renowned for its high manufacturing quality.
LISI AUTOMOTIVE’s decision to introduce an e-Kanban system was therefore not primarily a project to increase efficiency. Rather, the strategic goal was to bridge the gap between their own quality standards and operational capabilities. It was about raising process control to a level that meets the complexity of the product and the relentless demands of the market. Digitalization was the logical and necessary step to align their own operational processes with the strategic commitment to excellence and to solidify their position as a leading supplier for the future.
An Established but Rigid System
The starting point at LISI AUTOMOTIVE was by no means that of a newcomer to lean production. On the contrary, the company already possessed a high level of process maturity, as confirmed by the LISI representative who played a key role in supporting the project from the production planning side.
“A ‘classic, paper-based Kanban system’ had already been in use for a long time. This system had served the company well for years and anchored the fundamental principles of a pull system in manufacturing,” according to the LISI project manager.
This fact is of crucial importance for the evaluation of the project. The introduction of the IKS e-Kanban system was not a revolution for a beginner, but a targeted evolution for an advanced user. LISI AUTOMOTIVE did not reach the limits of the Kanban principle itself, but rather the physical and process-related limits of manual implementation.
“This realization makes the case study particularly valuable for other mature companies that may be facing a similar challenge: the feeling of having ‘outgrown’ their existing, good system,”
the LISI project manager explains, illustrating the situation at the time.
When a Good Tool is No Longer Good Enough
Paradoxically, the manual Kanban system – a classic tool for eliminating waste (‘Muda’) – had itself become a source of waste. The seven types of waste, as defined in the Toyota Production System, manifested themselves in the old system at LISI AUTOMOTIVE KKP in various ways: Error-proneness led to defects in the information chain. Delays in signal transmission created waiting times. The high administrative effort amounted to unnecessary processing (over-processing).
Furthermore, the rigidity of the system hindered the overarching lean principle of ‘Kaizen’ – continuous improvement. Without reliable data for analysis, there was no solid foundation to systematically identify and implement potential improvements. The tool that once increased efficiency had become a hindrance to further progress. The decision to look for an e-Kanban system was thus
a classic Kaizen moment: recognizing a limit in the existing process and searching for a superior method to achieve corporate goals more effectively.
In the search for a suitable e-Kanban system, the choice fell on IKS (Integrated Kanban System) from manufactus. The reasons for this decision were multifaceted.
“The decision was made in favor of IKS because of its clear structure, the flexibility of the system, and the good references. The personal consultation was also convincing,” said the LISI project manager.
Once the decision was made, the implementation proceeded remarkably quickly. The entire system, including user training and technical integration, was successfully implemented and put into live operation within a few weeks.
Data Quality and Teamwork
When asked what is particularly important in such an implementation, the LISI project manager has a clear answer:
“It is important to involve all affected areas early on – from purchasing and production to IT.”
A particularly critical point in the course of the project was ensuring data quality. To create a clean foundation from the start, a central project team was formed. This team was responsible for specifically cleaning up and coordinating article master data, inventory, and the definition of control loops, which proved to be decisive for a smooth start.
Efficiency, Flexibility, and a Clear Competitive Advantage
Following successful implementation, the IKS e-Kanban software quickly became the central nervous system for material flow control at LISI AUTOMOTIVE KKP. The areas of application are broad and demonstrate the flexibility of the platform.
| Implemented System | manufactus IKS e-Kanban |
| Areas of Application | Internal logistics, production supply, supplier integration |
| Active Control Loops | approx. 968 |
| Active Kanban Cards | approx. 39,520 |
| Implementation Duration | A few weeks |
The elegant connection between IKS and the existing ERP system MOVEX also offers many advantages. Based on the IKS Kanban trigger, production orders are automatically generated. After the parts are manufactured and the order is reported back via the MES and ERP systems, the Kanbans in IKS are automatically set to FULL via the interface. This means that every single Kanban container no longer has to be scanned manually by an employee.
Measurable Results and Daily Benefits
In addition to qualitative improvements, the project also delivers hard, measurable results that underpin the economic success of the investment. The LISI project manager provides several key figures that demonstrate the direct impact of IKS on efficiency and agility:
- Inventory reduction by 15%
- Reduction in response time for material requests by 30%
- Significant increase in process transparency as a basis for Kaizen
- Significant reduction in manual booking efforts
In addition to these figures, LISI highlights the qualitative improvements:
“Transparency regarding inventory and material flows has increased significantly. The effort for manual bookings has dropped sharply, and replenishments are faster and more reliable.”
Communication with connected suppliers is now also much clearer and more traceable. The LISI project manager summarizes the transformation aptly:
“With IKS, we have taken our Kanban system to a new level – transparent, reliable, and future-proof.“
The company is already planning the next expansions. The plan is to integrate mobile devices such as tablets or eLabels more strongly into the processes in the future to further increase flexibility and efficiency. Finally, LISI emphasizes another important aspect of the collaboration:
“We were particularly impressed by the flexibility as well as the competent and personal support from the manufactus team.“