Westfalen Group Future-Proofs Its Processes with Aucotec

• Centralized data platform: Aucotec’s Engineering Base optimizes engineering and maintenance processes and preserves valuable know-how.
• Next-level digitalization: SAP integration and AI-driven workflows increase transparency, reduce errors, and improve data quality.
• Driver of innovation: Engineering Base enables significant advancements in technological development.

Specializing in gases, heating and cooling, and sustainable mobility, the Westfalen Group has put its trust in the Engineering Base cooperation platform from Aucotec. This is mainly due to the platform’s ability to serve as a single source of truth for end-to-end, error-free planning and documentation.

Transparency and efficiency in engineering

The spectrum of products and services offered by the Westfalen Group is increasingly focused on sustainable energy solutions, particularly hydrogen. To streamline internal processes, the company was looking for a software solution that would provide optimum support for both the maintenance and engineering of its own production sites. "We wanted to establish a centralized data storage system that would create transparency throughout the entire life cycle of our plants and allow easy redlining," explains Laurent Wauters-Herlyn, Head of Strategy & Innovation for Production & Engineering at the Westfalen Group. "All relevant disciplines were to be consolidated on a common software platform rather than using multiple solutions."

The solution: Engineering Base as a centralized data platform

During the software selection process, Aucotec’s Engineering Base emerged as the ideal solution. The platform integrates CAD, E-CAD, process engineering and EI&C engineering into a central data model, enabling consistent, error-free planning. "Engineering Base links all relevant data in a central environment," continues Wauters-Herlyn. "The capability for AI-driven optimization was another crucial factor. Demographic changes pose the challenge of preserving knowledge over the long term while unlocking further efficiency potential.”

Westfalen expects implementation of the Aucotec platform to bring significant efficiency gains and additional benefits:

• Engineering: 11% reduction in costs
• Maintenance: 15% less planning effort
• Minimization of errors thanks to centralized data storage
• AI-driven engineering based on preserved knowledge resources

Integration with SAP and continued growth

With the planned switch to SAP S/4 HANA, Westfalen sees the integration of SAP with Engineering Base as a promising opportunity. "The potential link-up with SAP further increases efficiency and enables seamless digital documentation," remarks Wauters-Herlyn.

By opting for Engineering Base, Westfalen has embraced an innovative and sustainable solution that not only meets current requirements, but also actively addresses future challenges in the energy sector. "We are proud of our collaboration with Westfalen and grateful for the trust placed in our data-centric platform," explains Stefan Wedderkopp, Global Sales Director Process Plants at Aucotec. "Engineering Base not only assists companies with digitalization, it also enables them to strategically optimize their processes and future-proof them."