In addition to its well-known in-house brands like Knabber Nossi, Inzersdorfer, and of course, MARESI milk, the company also distributes a wide portfolio of international partner brands, such as Lay’s, Ovomaltine, and Isostar. To achieve success with 55 brands across five countries, intensive and often complex communication is key. According to Andreas Bassler, Head of Supply Chain Management at MARESI Austria, the challenge lies "primarily in connecting the many different suppliers, warehouse locations, logistics providers, and trading partners through a common language." For many years, MARESI has been relying on Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) to facilitate this.
To make sure its EDI systems remain at the cutting edge of technology, MARESI brought EDITEL on board as its new EDI service provider about two years ago. Since then, a lot has happened…
When EDITEL began its collaboration with MARESI in 2022, it embarked on a herculean task: the entire data system needed to be migrated to the new ERP system SAP S/4 HANA, while simultaneously restructuring the existing EDI infrastructure. This project was challenging not only due to the volume of data—about 22,000 documents exchanged monthly with around 250 partners—but also because of the highly complex processes behind it, requiring an in-depth understanding of procedures, explains Karl Cegner, Project Delivery & Consulting Lead at EDITEL, who was responsible for this project. "EDITEL did an outstanding job here," said Andreas Bassler full of praise. The simultaneous execution of both projects and the fact that the two systems needed to be interconnected and work in real time demanded flawless coordination between all parties involved—MARESI, EDITEL, and SAP. As Cegner notes: "Even a small error or delay could have had far-reaching consequences for the entire data communication."
Efforts pay off
Following extensive quality assurance measures and half a year of rigorous testing, along with a carefully planned go-live phase, the new SAP S/4 HANA system and the entire EDI outsourcing infrastructure at MARESI were successfully launched in May 2024, without any incidents. Andreas Bassler says with satisfaction: "All the testing was worth it. The project was a resounding success!" He especially highlighted EDITEL as "a very valuable and patient partner throughout the entire process." Looking ahead, he adds, "We have high hopes for our new EDI system and are convinced that it will enable even simpler and more cost-effective communication with our partners." Andreas Nentwich, Managing Director of MARESI and Chair of the GS1 Advisory Board, also shares his positive view on the project: "EDITEL’s profound industry knowledge, along with its extensive business relationships with retailers, manufacturers, and logistics providers, were a great starting point for the efficient implementation of this project. Moreover, both EDITEL and MARESI share a common approach to stakeholder management: transparent, pragmatic action with clear goals and mutual respect, resulting in a positive outcome with long-term effect."
Benefits of a sophisticated EDI solution:
- Faster onboarding process for new partners and support of international standards to facilitate growth.
- Increased speed and accuracy of business transactions, such as orders and invoices.
- Faster response to market demands and greater agility in dealing with partners and customers.
- Improved control of data flows and costs, leading to optimized collaboration with partners.
