Case study
Global LNG Exporter
Global exporter of liquefied natural gas digitally automates inventory management for MRO spare parts in SAP to achieve transformative gains in accuracy, efficiency, speed, and labor utilization.
Results
- Automated spare parts inventory management for MRO
- Improved inventory accuracy and labor utilization
- 400% speed increase for materials management
- Reduced operating costs from real-time visibility
- 75-93% shorter training time for new employees
Challenge
Following a company merger, a Global LNG Exporter transitioned from IBM Maximo to SAP for materials management but lost its barcoding functionality in the process. As a result, the company returned to managing MRO spare parts inventory with paper processes. Each material also had two item numbers, one for Maximo and a different one for SAP, further complicating daily operations.
“To look up an item, we would have to know the SAP number and then translate that into the Maximo number so we could physically go out and find it in the warehouse,” said the warehouse supervisor.
Results
- Automated spare parts inventory management for MRO
- Improved inventory accuracy and labor utilization
- 400% speed increase for materials management
- Reduced operating costs from real-time visibility
- 75-93% shorter training time for new employees
To look up an item, we would have to know the SAP number and then translate that into the Maximo number so we could physically go out and find it in the warehouse,” said the warehouse supervisor.
Warehouse Supervisor and Materials Manager
Solution
Knowing their current system was not sustainable, the company set out to find a new barcoding solution with certified, seamless integration into SAP. The Global LNG Exporter turned to RFgen Mobile Foundations for SAP. RFgen Software mobilizes inventory through mobile apps, communicating bi-directionally in real-time to provide up-to-the-millisecond speed and accuracy while also enhancing data security.
An RFgen senior SAP consultant helped the warehouse supervisor examine existing business processes in a collaborative Business Analysis Workshop. Ultimately, multiple workflows would be greatly simplified or improved with the new mobile solution.
Results
RFgen helped digitally transform manual inventory processes with mobile barcoding. Now the warehouse team can instantly receive, issue, store, and pull items at point-of-scan instead of taking paper notes on a 600-foot commute to fixed workstations for data entry. The need for translating Maximo numbers to SAP was also eliminated.
Benefits include:
- Automated spare parts inventory management for MRO
- Improved inventory accuracy and labor utilization
- 400% speed increase for materials management
- Reduced operating costs from real-time visibility
- 75-93% shorter training time for new employees
Simple Training in a Fraction of the Time
RFgen’s intuitive user experience helps to reduce training and onboarding time to a minimum for new employees. “Training is now the easiest part,” explains the warehouse supervisor. “Even someone who isn’t SAP savvy can easily learn and use RFgen. I can train new people in just one or two days versus weeks previously required.”
Now, new workers spend 75-93% less time learning how to do their job, enabling them to reach full productivity in a fraction of the time. Faster training means higher productivity. And that impacts the bottom line.
Training is now the easiest part. Even someone who isn’t SAP savvy can easily learn and use RFgen. I can train new people in just one or two days versus weeks previously required.
Warehouse Supervisor and Materials Manager
Global exporter of liquefied natural gas digitally automates inventory management for MRO spare parts to achieve transformative gains in accuracy, efficiency, speed and labor utilization.
