Separated IT systems, all containing critical customer data, led to a loss of visibility and efficiency at Konecranes. Syncron provided a solution that enables Konecranes to create enterprise-wide customer records and thus gain business benefits.

Several acquisitions and three business divisions operating separately in terms of IT, had led to a multiple-system environ-ment at Konecranes. Lack of a complete customer overview meant missed busi-ness opportunities:“Separate parts of the enterprise held vari-

ous IT systems,” says Mikko Strömberg, IT manager at Konecranes’ corporate HQ in Hyvinkää, Finland. “And they all contained key customer data. This created a convoluted situation in which we lost visibility and potential business because we didn’t have homogeneous information on our customers.”

Countless business opportunities

Insufficient integration also led to inef-fectiveness due to parallel work in the organization.

In 2006, Konecranes growth ex-ceeded 50%—half of it from acquisi-tions and the other half from organic growth. With that kind of growth, Konecranes knew it needed a new, effective, business-driven IT tool to bring the information together. This was a basic condition for having op-timal customer focus—to further in-crease business opportunities.

For more information about Syncron and its solutions, visit www.syncron.com.

Konecranes lifts its enterprise via better customer overview

The challengeMultiple IT systems with dis-persed customer data

The solutionSyncron’s Global Customer Master solution

The results• Consolidated customer information enhances business opportunities• Improved visibility and effectiveness• Reduced risk for data-entry

errors thanks to less typing• Topical information and higher quality data

About KonecranesKonecranes is a world-leading lifting solutions and services provider. It is listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange and employs about 7,500 people in 41 countries. Its operations are organized into three global busi-ness divisions: Heavy Lifting, Standard Lifting and Service. Operations are grouped into four regions: EMEA, the Americas, Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia.

SYNCRON CASE STUDY

Flexibility needed

Konecranes started searching for an IT solution that could display a uniform im-age of each customer—a solution that knit together the separated systems. Due to Konecranes’ growth plans, it had to secure a flexible infrastructure to be able to easily integrate future acquisitions.

Thus Konecranes started searching for efficient tools to track, create, and maintain corporate structures within the systems and to create links be-tween Group companies and separate customer records.

Speedy implementation

Strong reference cases, an IT structure based on Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and the rich functionality and simplicity in the Global Customer Master solution, contributed to the choice of Syncron. In addition, IBM Finland, which built Konecranes’ business portal, recom-mended Syncron as partner.

The implementation project start-ed in February 2006 and went live in early December. The entire process took 10 months, including internal process discussions, development, data transferring and training.

The solution fully meets Kone-cranes’ expectations and so does the cooperation:“Syncron proved to be reliable and very flexible—something you unfortunately

can’t say about most IT vendors,” says Strömberg. “Syncron’s SOA approach means that we can easily customize the system to fit changing and future busi-ness needs.”

Several advantages

With the new solution, customer data are entered locally and then transferred into the main system—ensuring coher-ent, updated customer data throughout Konecranes. This means time savings and reduced risk for data-entry errors.

Good customer overviews thor-oughly enhance business opportuni-ties. Improved visibility across the three business divisions—and data being pulled from all areas into one main system—provides complete cus-tomer histories.

Extending the solution

The global solution for customers has given Konecranes many business ben-efits. Hence, Konecranes also decided to implement Syncron’s Global Vendor Master solution for handling global sup-plier information.“This is a continuous process,” says Strömberg, “and I’m sure we’ll see more and more advantages going forward.”

For more information about Syncron and its solutions, visit www.syncron.com.

“We have now ensured that Konecranes has the necessary infrastructure for a customer-oriented enterprise, which is an excellent starting point for staying competitive.”

SYNCRON CASE STUDYKONECRANES

About SyncronSyncron maximizes global sup-ply chain performance, easily. Our groundbreaking IT solution, leverag-ing existing IT infrastructure, is rapidly implemented. Within six to twelve months, it yields performance im-provements of 20-30% in three major areas: customer service levels, supply chain process efficiencies and stock level reductions. We deliver superior results to our customers through combining software expertise with extensive experience from selected industry sectors within manufacturing and distribution. To stay ahead, many world-leading global companies have chosen Syncron: Alfa Laval, Atlas Copco, Electrolux, Metso, Renault Trucks, Sandvik, Smiths Aerospace, Tetra Pak, Toyota, Trelleborg, Volvo and VW. Syncron has offices around the world.

Contact SyncronFor more information and to contact Syncron, please visit syncron.com and choose your local office.