WITTE Automotive plans space allocation with AREAPLAN

Space management tool synchronizes IT landscape for global plant planning

• Forward-looking planning of space requirements for new production lines and expansions of existing lines
• Precise space requirement control and determination possible by incorporating time component
• Utilization reports support strategic decisions on site expansion or the establishment of new sites
• Standardized work basis for all plants saves time when determining space requirements

Dresden, June 12, 2024 – The automotive industry is subject to highly dynamic manufacturing processes. Automotive supplier WITTE Automotive is using the AREAPLAN space management tool from DUALIS GmbH IT Solution to plan space requirements for new production lines or extensions to existing lines in its various plants with greater foresight. Among other things, this makes it possible to control and determine space requirements more precisely. By using AREAPLAN, the system supplier can improve the quality of the data, create a uniform working basis for all plants and save time when determining space requirements.

As an automotive supplier, WITTE Automotive specializes in locking and actuation systems. The company supplies well-known car manufacturers all over the world. Christiane Franke, VP Logistics at WITTE Automotive, explains: “If there are new production lines or expansions in one of our plants, this can have such a strong impact that we have to relocate or even set up new production sites. We were therefore looking for software that would enable us to carry out an improved space requirement calculation and check how far-reaching the necessary changes would be.”

The AREAPLAN software from DUALIS enables cross-plant planning of space allocation in assembly and production halls. This allows production areas to be planned, managed and optimized efficiently.

Until now, WITTE Automotive has used different tools for space planning and layouting in its plants – the analysis of space requirements was previously only possible using Excel lists. With AREAPLAN, WITTE can map the temporal change of the area layout and export a report of used and free areas in the form of Excel files. The software also offers the option of taking into account the time component in the occupancy of the areas and displaying future occupancy through the start and end dates of the machines in the layout. Utilization reports support the decision as to whether locations should be expanded or newly constructed.

“It is very important to us that the time components are displayed so that we can plan precisely. The same applies to the uncomplicated export option so that we can continue to feed the existing reporting system with data without having to maintain Excel lists in parallel. Both mean a considerable reduction in workload,” explains Daniel Ottosson, Head of Lean & Technology, WITTE Niederberg.

Standardized work basis for global plant planning

The space management tool enables the company to harmonize and synchronize the IT landscape for global plant planning. AREAPLAN was easily integrated into the workflows at WITTE Automotive. The implementation phase took around four months. It was also an advantage that the 3D simulation solution Visual Components, for which DUALIS is an authorized and experienced reseller, was already in use in some areas. AREAPLAN is therefore predestined as an add-on.

“Thanks to the improved data quality, WITTE Automotive can optimize plant planning and now has a uniform working basis for all plants. We benefit from considerable time savings when determining space requirements and can now make more informed decisions, including forward-looking ones. The planning software has currently been rolled out to four plants, and a further plant will be added next year,” says Christiane Franke.