Simplified and modern system architecture

Biologische Heilmittel Heel GmbH is a pharmaceutical company that specializes in the development and production of medicines made from natural ingredients and is considered a pioneer in the field of scientific research into natural medicine. 1,400 people work for Heel worldwide, with 900 employees at the company headquarters in Baden-Baden. The international company is active in more than 50 countries worldwide and sells around two thirds of its medicines outside Germany.

View of the pick-by-light system at Heel: all systems are now controlled without complex interfaces.

Some of Heel's best-known products are Traumeel, Euphorbium comp., Zeel, Neurexan, Vertigoheel, Engystol, Viburcol and Spascupreel. The IT projects have eliminated interfaces and reduced the number of IT systems involved in the process. The result is a simplified and future-oriented system architecture.

The task

At its headquarters in Baden-Baden, Heel operates a logistics center on two floors with the following functional areas: incoming goods, manually operated high-bay warehouse, automated high-bay warehouse, pick-by-light system, packaging and shipping area and production connection. In the past, separate IT systems connected via interfaces were used for warehouse management and material flow control. The division of tasks in connection with interfaces and the long-term provision of secure operation proved to be difficult for Heel. In addition, the non-SAP solutions did not fit in with Heel's long-term and strategic orientation towards SAP.

The solution

The company headquarters of the pharmaceutical manufacturer Heel.

SAP EWM and SAP EWM/MFS were optimally adapted to the processes, requirements and logistical conditions at Heel. In an initial project in 2012, the material flow control of the automatic high-bay warehouse was converted to SAP EWM/MFS during ongoing operations. This required a special interface solution in order to be able to operate SAP EWM/MFS below the old non-SAP warehouse management system. In 2016, warehouse management was also converted to SAP EWM during ongoing operations. In addition to the automated high-bay warehouse with workstation functions integrated into the conveyor technology process, the pick-by-light system and the mobile devices in the manual warehouse areas are now also controlled directly from SAP EWM. Heel's external quality assurance system is integrated into the respective functions via SAP QIE.

Technical data

ERP: SAP Warehouse management: SAP EWM Material flow control: SAP EWM/MFS Communication: SPSConnect (telegram converter between the SAP world and the automation technology based on TCP/IP) Mobile terminals: SAP ITSmobile AddOns: Aberle Software Toolbox, CEP Cockpit Other: SAP ERP integration, online connection, pick-by-light

Environment requiring validation

The processes and software solutions in operational logistics in the pharmaceutical industry must be implemented in accordance with GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) specifications to ensure that only goods classified as safe are delivered to the end customer. Aberle Software's professional quality management system has evolved from a large number of completed projects in the pharmaceutical industry. Based on this quality management system, Aberle Software was able to support Heel in the successful validation of the system.

www.heel.dewww.aberle-software.com

Intra means: All in one

Interfaces, interfaces and more interfaces: Conversations with software experts, alongside loud complaints about too few capable programmers and an empty job market, always have the S theme: the future belongs to those who master interfaces. But also companies like Aberle Software, which, as shown here, fundamentally simplify a company's IT.