About Hako
Solutions without compromise. Hako is a leading international manufacturer of professional machines and a provider of excellent services for cleaning and municipal technology. Headquartered in Bad Oldesloe near Hamburg, the Hako Group has additional production facilities in Germany, Poland, and the USA. Worldwide, nearly 2,500 employees generate annual sales of over €500 million in more than 60 countries. Hako develops products that meet the high and constantly evolving demands of its customers. The company maintains a close focus on the market and its diverse industries. Today, Hako's innovative machines for indoor and outdoor cleaning, multifunctional load carriers and equipment carriers for municipal use and grounds maintenance, as well as multi-purpose sweepers, are among the best on the market. Complemented by comprehensive services, Hako offers complete solutions for greater transparency and increased efficiency throughout the entire service life.
The challenge
Hako's controlling tasks were handled using a combination of outdated software and Excel. This resulted in a significant time expenditure for planning and reporting. The project's goal was to automate recurring reporting tasks, including data collection, processing, and annotation. Additionally, it aimed to create the foundation for flexible, scenario-based planning.
The project
Hako, in collaboration with q.beyond, implemented Virtivity's APOLLO solution. The first step involved significantly automating monthly reporting. The reconciliation effort was shifted from central controlling to the decentralized reporting units. APOLLO supports these units in reconciling intercompany relationships during monthly data entry. All other units can upload data to the system using an Excel template or enter it manually. Central controlling maintains a constant overview of the reporting process via a status summary and can intervene as needed. Data consolidation for group results occurs during the data entry process. The process culminates in the automated transfer of data to Hako's parent company.
The customer benefits
By implementing APOLLO, HAKO has digitized its entire monthly reporting process. This has resulted in significant time savings and noticeable improvements in quality. The error rate in the process has been reduced, and the effort required for data collection and preparation has been minimized. This frees up time for analysis and commentary, increasing the quality and relevance of the reports. As a result, HAKO can now make better decisions.
Customer requirements
- Provisioning, installation and configuration of the APOLLO software
- Adaptation and enhancement of the APOLLO standard functions to meet Hako's requirements
- Support with the software rollout and the establishment of the organisational process
- Coaching in adapting calculation logics and creating reports for analysis and data collection
Project goals
- Automation of recurring reporting tasks, such as collecting, processing, and annotating data
- Development of data interfaces to upstream and downstream IT systems (including SAP)
- Replacing outdated software applications and Excel-based solutions
- Creating a basis for flexible, scenario-oriented planning
From idea to implementation: Our project highlights
"For us, the combination of experienced consultants from q.beyond and the proven solution from Virtivity, the APOLLO manufacturer, was a guarantee of success."
Tobias Liermann, Head of Controlling
Sounds exciting?
Do you have any questions about data-related topics or our reference? Then please feel free to contact me. I look forward to discussing them with you.
Philipp Wehmschulte