VC999 Verpackungssysteme AG

proALPHA: Method to the Implementation

Swiss packaging specialist VC999 has used the comprehensive ERP solution proALPHA since the beginning of 2016. Already introduced at the headquarters, one Swiss production site and one German subsidiary, proALPHA will be gradually rolled out at the other sites. The project phases, consisting of evaluation, implementation, training, tests, go-live and rollout, were classically based on a standardized implementation method. This has the advantage of clearly defined project phases and tasks.

The company's name, VC999, stands for "Vacuum Capacity 99.9%". This is the maximum level that can be reached for food vacuum packaging. The family-run business lives up to its name: it represents the highest possible output and quality of the machines produced. It also stands for success: VC999 Verpackungssysteme AG is continuously expanding. Today, it has almost a dozen distribution companies all over the world, which requires consistent value flows and customer-oriented service management.

Consistent Processes Mapped, Even for 4,000 Service Calls

The legacy systems VC999 has used for sales, production and support had run out of steam. They no longer covered the three company divisions, production and sales of packaging machines, trade in packaging materials and the important service business.

proALPHA consistently maps all divisions and processes at VC999. Since the beginning of 2016, the family-run business has dealt with 4,000 service calls per year for a total of 7,000 machines installed in Switzerland alone.

Rollout Strategy: Headquarters First, Subsidiaries Next

VC999 first introduced proALPHA at its company headquarters in Herisau because it has the highest level of complexity within the company group. For this reason, and in order to streamline introduction, the company first implemented the core applications: sales, purchasing, materials management, production, service, financial accounting, and cost accounting. This was soon followed by additional functions such as business intelligence (BI) and CAD integration.

"It was our goal to make the processes highly efficient right from the beginning and to set them up cleanly using templates. Once the processes had proven effective at headquarters, they were rolled out in the subsidiaries as required. This rollout strategy worked. This rollout strategy proved successful: as at headquarters, introduction at the first subsidiary in Germany went smoothly, the focus being on sales and service processes.

Concept Phase: All Processes Under Investigation

During introduction, VC999 also benefitted from intensive preparations. A thorough analysis prior to implementation revealed which standard proALPHA processes could be adopted and which ones had to be customized to the industry's specific requirements. The strategy of VC999 was to keep to the standard proALPHA processes wherever possible. These best practices are based on the experience of several hundred companies. Since many processes are interdepartmental, for example the sales and service process, VC999 subjected many of them to close examination. This even included processes that were not intended for the first go-live phase, because VC999 insisted on getting the big picture. They wanted to know exactly what to expect later and what the processes and the ERP system would eventually look like.