Indo Autotech Limited: Taking a strategic approach to supplier management and optimizing supplier collaboration
Explore Indo Autotech Limited’s journey with SAP
On its digital transformation journey, sheet metal fabricator Indo Autotech Limited sought to eliminate paper-based processes from its supply chain. By adopting SAP Business Network and SAP Ariba solutions, the company remastered supplier collaboration, contract management, and order processing, streamlining supplier management from start to finish.
| Industry | Region | Company Size |
| Industrial manufacturing | Faridabad, India | ~8,000 employees |
of manual supplier onboarding processes eliminated.
of supplier qualification processes digitalized.
of purchase orders automatically sent to suppliers.
CIO, Indo Autotech Limited
Digitalizing supplier management for an Industry 4.0 world
Having started business with a single lathe in 1974, Indo Autotech Limited is now a leading manufacturer and supplier of precision sheet metal components, tubular parts, and assemblies used in the automotive industry. The company’s deeply rooted commitment to quality and innovation has helped it become a valued supplier of sheet metal components to major global automotive manufacturers. Among these are Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd., Maruti Suzuki India Limited, Honda Cars India Ltd., Suzuki Motorcycle India Limited, Ola Consumer, JCB India Limited, CLAAS India Private Ltd., CNH Industrial (India) Pvt. Ltd, and Escorts Kubota Limited.
The organization has eight manufacturing plants across India in Faridabad, Manesar, Tapukara, Bangalore, Jaipur, and Gujarat and was handling supplier management processes using traditional manual paper-based workflows and e-mail. This included everything from onboarding to managing quotes, contracts, invoices, and other documents from its suppliers.
Looking to boost operational efficiency and meet customers’ heightened demands, the company knew it needed to digitalize supplier management to help it thrive in the dynamic Industry 4.0 age. To get there, Indo Autotech Limited needed to transition from paper-based processes and manual tracking practices by embracing modern supplier management and collaboration solutions.
Streamlining supplier registration, onboarding, and qualification
Intent on digitalizing supplier management and collaboration, Indo Autotech Limited sought to replace its manual processes and reliance on paper trails and e-mails with modern technology that could help it enhance efficiency and productivity. As the business was operating on SAP S/4HANA, smooth integration with the advanced ERP was a top priority.
To meet its immediate goal for automating supplier qualification and onboarding, the company turned to SAP Ariba solutions. It implemented the SAP Ariba Supplier Lifecycle and Performance, SAP Ariba Sourcing, and SAP Ariba Contracts solutions and deployed SAP Business Network for Supply Chain to modernize contract management and improve communication with suppliers. When suppliers register on SAP Business Network, the information is available in SAP Ariba Supplier Lifecycle and Performance to onboard and qualify suppliers. A connection with SAP S/4HANA allows the supplier master data in the advanced ERP to be updated for core process execution.
Together, these solutions allow Indo Autotech Limited to optimize supplier management and automate sourcing tasks, reducing supplier management maintenance costs while supporting supply chain continuity through connected data insights to help it proactively act on risks.
Maximizing value derived from supplier partnerships
Since implementing SAP Business Network and SAP Ariba solutions, Indo Autotech Limited has transformed supplier management and automated sourcing tasks, elevating operational efficiency and reducing risk. The company has digitalized direct procurement for product development and product production. It’s also using the solutions to handle some indirect procurement requirements for services and consumable items.
In terms of manual handling, paper-based processes have been eliminated, with digital sourcing processes now flowing through SAP Business Network and SAP Ariba solutions, giving users 24x7 visibility on their laptop computer or mobile devices.
Thanks to SAP Ariba Supplier Lifecycle and Performance, supplier onboarding is now automated. With SAP Business Network, SAP Ariba Sourcing, and SAP Ariba Contracts, the company and its suppliers have the same view of purchase orders and advanced shipping notifications. And the information is shared with Indo Autotech Limited’s advanced ERP. Using SAP Ariba Contracts helps Indo Autotech Limited enhance contract compliance, saving time and paper as well as mitigating the risk of human error.
Communication has also significantly improved between the company and its suppliers, as the transactions and workflows are now digital and can be monitored electronically, with 24x7 visibility for users and stakeholders.
And through digital collaboration interfaces, when a supplier submits an advanced shipping notice, an automatic inbound delivery notice is created in SAP S/4HANA, allowing Indo Autotech Limited to action the goods receipt process. Once approved, this triggers the supplier e-invoicing process.
CIO, Indo Autotech Limited
Using advanced support to maximize functionality adoption
For ongoing support, Indo Autotech Limited has adopted the SAP Preferred Success offering. This service helps fast-track and drive value through a proactive partnership, insight-driven recommendations, release guidance, targeted learning programs, and more. With access to expert guidance and hands-on assistance with feature adoption, Indo Autotech Limited plans to take advantage of the enhanced support to better understand how new functionality can be adopted in its business.