WestWood Kunststofftechnik GmbH is a dynamically growing family business that develops liquid sealing and coating systems for the construction industry. From rooftops and parking decks to oil rigs, train platforms and bridges, the innovative solutions offer consistent protection and are used in 16 countries in Europe and North America.
With six locations and a rapidly growing international presence, WestWood found itself faced with increasingly complex challenges. This included managing siled data and meeting ever-changing compliance requirements. The company’s rather small product security team was increasingly reaching its capacity limits. Ensuring the highest standards was difficult because the processes were manual and spread across multiple teams and departments. That’s why WestWood was looking for an integrated, automated solution that would allow it to better serve customers and optimize operations.
To address these challenges and accelerate digital transformation, the company introduced a comprehensive suite of cloud solutions, services and learning resources.
In collaboration with the SAP Gold partner Innovabee were the solutions SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition and SAP S/4HANA for product compliance implemented. WestWood has thus unified business processes, standardized information management and automated company-wide workflows. Thanks to the integrated approach, all responsible teams can now access important information. You stay up to date with compliance regulations and can support sustainable growth.
Automating product safety for innovation and growth
“We wanted a solution that automates key steps in our product safety processes and is flexible so we can evolve our workflows as compliance standards change and our company expands into new markets and regions with dynamic requirements,” explained Martin Wegner, Product Safety Manager at WestWood.
The versatile use of WestWood products has led to innovative solutions, such as the increasing trend towards green roofs, which require reliable and durable waterproofing. “Planting roofs is becoming increasingly popular because it creates environmentally friendly spaces and improves air quality,” added Wegner. “Such new areas of application encourage us to continually develop innovations.”
Many of WestWood’s protective, decorative and anti-slip coatings are subject to specific safety requirements. The importance of product safety and conformity in the company is correspondingly high. Previously, these processes were manual and fragmented across departments, making it difficult for the small team to keep up with changing regulations.
Automation for world-class customer service
With SAP S/4HANA for product compliance WestWood has automated the delivery of product safety information. Customers automatically receive the appropriate safety data sheet with every purchase – and if changes occur, the updated information can now be sent immediately to all previous buyers so that WestWood products can be used safely and in accordance with regulations. Previously, this was a time-consuming manual process. Thanks to the automated customer service process, over 24,000 emails are now sent automatically each year, saving time and ensuring compliance.
“By automating this process, we save an incredible amount of time,” noted Wegner. “This makes the processes much easier for our team, and our customers now always receive reliable, up-to-date application instructions.” And thanks to the central data management in the SAP solution, WestWood also has continuously updated, audit-proof documentation of all product safety processes.
Internal processes have also been improved through automation. The product security team now receives automated notifications when product security information is needed. It can also cover multiple languages and easily meet local compliance requirements.
“The integrated internationalization functions of SAP S/4HANA will play an important role in expanding into new markets. They enable us to offer excellent customer service while supporting sustainable processes that meet local requirements,” emphasized Wegner. Ten users in three departments are already benefiting from faster and more proactive processing of customer orders. This also has a positive effect on WestWood’s international growth.
“Thanks to SAP S/4HANA for product compliance, we no longer forget anything,” said Wegner. “All relevant information flows between departments without delays, and our customers immediately receive up-to-date safety and application information on our products.”
Optimizing workflows and supporting sustainability
With SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition and the support of Innovabee, WestWood no longer has to worry about operating on-premises IT systems and can fully focus on creating value for its customers.
WestWood is building on the success of its implementation of SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition and plans to further optimize its processes. The ambitious company would like to combine two systems for dangerous goods processing in a central SAP solution. WestWood also plans to fully automate label printing for its products. This is an important step as new regulations require larger font sizes and more detailed information. Automated label printing based on existing product data optimizes administration, avoids redundancies and saves valuable time and resources.
WestWood is also committed to sustainability. By reducing paper consumption and leveraging integrated solutions from SAP, the company is building its sustainability management and reporting capabilities. By optimizing and automating compliance with documentation and labeling requirements and supporting the responsible use of hazardous chemicals, WestWood is able to protect the environment at every stage – from production facilities and warehouses to end customers.
Improved insights and reporting also help WestWood future-proof itself and compete, especially in an industry that is increasingly placing emphasis on environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) transparency.
For more information, see WestWood’s customer story: More efficient product compliance through automation.
