Digital innovation from Baumat AG for precast concrete element production
Since 1896, Baumat AG stands for quality and reliability in the construction industry. The family-run company, headquartered in Wichtrach with six other locations in the canton of Bern, offers a comprehensive range of building materials. Baumat AG also specialises in customised reinforcement steel and the production of made-to-measure concrete elements – from staircases and façade elements to individual custom-made products. With the slogan “you build – we deliver”, Baumat AG and its approximately 200 employees support their customers in carrying out construction work on time and to a high standard. It does this with a wide range of products and appropriate consulting and planning services. With the ahead software solution, Baumat AG is relying on a holistic solution to make precast concrete element production more transparent, traceable and predictable.
The collaboration with the Progress project team was and continues to be excellent. I have rarely experienced such constructive and efficient cooperation within a software project.
The ahead Software as a comprehensive platform
The prefabrication of concrete elements has grown significantly in recent years. However, the increasing number of elements could no longer be mapped using the previous Excel planning system. The aim was to replace the previous Excel-based processes with modern software that could be gradually integrated into ongoing operations and remain compatible with the ERP system and 3D modelling. The decision was made to use the ahead software from the Progress Group's software portfolio. The implementation focused on mapping and integrating all relevant areas – production, quality, planning and logistics.
ahead was introduced as a central platform and connects production, quality assurance, planning and logistics. Order processing is now much more transparent and consistent, partly due to the connection to existing software solutions in the areas of 3D modelling software and ERP system. This applies in both directions: from order entry in the ERP system to transfer to ahead and feedback of the finished concrete elements to the ERP system. This gives Baumat a real-time display of the order status.
Strong partnership and a look to the future
Baumat already has a long-standing partnership with the Progress Group as a technology supplier in the field of reinforcement production. An EBA automatic stirrup bending machine and an ESR straightening and cutting machine are in use on site. A newly installed collection trolley also optimises the processes in logistics and the onward transport of the reinforcement. The latest investments in targeted software implementation, supported by partners, have strengthened processes and made them future proof. The path to a holistic digitalisation strategy involves connecting a scheduling tool and warehouse management system and gradually expanding the use of ahead to other sub-processes in production.