Supply chain excellence with the Körber ecosystem

Three questions for Malte Marwede, Vice President Special Industries at Körber

What do you mean by the Körber ecosystem when referring to supply chains?

Malte Marwede: We have a range of expertise in the Group, which we use for our customers. In the Körber Business Area Supply Chain, we combine software and hardware in turnkey solutions based on our system integration expertise. When it comes to software, we integrate operational control systems into comprehensive solutions. In terms of technology, we supply fully automated high-bay warehouses and material flow systems with cutting-edge equipment. Our customers benefit from the synergy between supply chain expertise and the industry insights accumulated over decades in the tobacco sector.

If we look at the specific project process, where do the advantages lie for customers?

Malte Marwede: We’re simply faster and more precise than other suppliers thanks to our knowledge of the special characteristics of tobacco processing and tobacco product production. We have long understood exactly what is important for our customers in these processes and where specific challenges lie. Moreover, we reduce the workload for customers as we provide the option of dealing with a single contact person for all matters and customers do not need to coordinate the different trades themselves.

To what extent are you tied to certain suppliers for hardware and software within the ecosystem?

Malte Marwede: We regard ourselves as a strategic partner for our customers. This means we provide a flexible response to their requirements and changes on the market. Our ecosystem approach is not confined to our Group solutions in this respect. We not only draw on our own products and solutions, but also use our established partner network to integrate specific products and technologies for often complex automation solutions. In doing so, our aim is always to develop and implement the best solution for the specific customer challenge.