Product category:
Process Monitoring and Optimisation
News Release from: BASF IT Services | Subject: RailWeb
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 24 September 2004
BASF uses IT to improve onsite rail
traffic
BASF IT Services has introduced some new IT applications for a more efficient organisation of the rail traffic within its Ludwigshafen plant: a user-friendly web portal, RailWeb, saves time and money
BASF IT Services has introduced some new IT applications for a more efficient organisation of the rail traffic within its Ludwigshafen plant State of the art information from SAP and internal BASF systems simplify management of the wagons both for the individual works on site and their optimal resource planning
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 14 Sep 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Fifth year of BASF Employee Admin by Self Service
BASF is turning more and more to its personnel-driven electronic medium 'Employee Self Service', covering address, banking, holidays, flexitime, share schemes and travel costs
Forum shows how process industries get connected
As an integral part of the growth and global success of the world's largest chemicals company, BASF IT Services, is committed to eliminating what they call the 'Disconnect'
Since the beginning of this year, our customer can access the user-friendly web portal RailWeb, which provides all the required logistic information.
As a result, the existing high-capacity mainframe was no longer needed.
The biggest advantage of RailWeb is that it gathers all required information together.
Further reading
Joint SAP-AMS development experience at Seal Sands
SAP-AMS is a joint development between BASF IT Services and Emerson Process Management - to enhance the AMS Suite - Intelligent Device Manager by providing connectivity to data and work flow processes
It pays to use IT solutions in Health and Safety
Environment and health safety, work safety and social responsibilities are important topics in the process industry: companies need effective IT to comply with legal and safety targets
SAP implementation eliminates language barriers
SAP dominates the language of users around the globe: BASF IT Services has implemented Unicode on the database of SAP R/3 for BASF Coatings in Muenster, over 17 countries
This enables BASF to put their rail wagons to optimal use, transportation can be better utilised and as a consequence, logistic costs are reduced.
Just with the press of a button, the Service Centre Railway and the BASF operations have access to all necessary information with respect to the rail wagons' availability and can follow their exact movements online.
Furthermore, via RailWeb the BASF operations can also place an order for maintenance or cleaning services.
The BASF in Ludwigshafen has around 3,000 rail wagons actively in use, which serve some 250 loading bays and transport four million tons of goods, annually.
The railway lines cover a distance of more than 200 kilometers.
Due to its graphical operability RailWeb is well accepted by the user RailWeb offers its approx.
500 registered users, multiple functions through a user-friendly, intuitively operable screen.
The portal runs without any additional installation all the BASF standardised PCs, which were rolled out in Europe last year.
The technical basis is the framework 'SOFIA', which stands for Salmon Open Framework for Internet Applications, known for its high capacity, low maintenance and growth potential.
Unique in the BASF Group is the drag and drop solution in the portal.
This means that the user can place specific orders in specific wagons per mouse click, just by marking an order and via drag and drop, moving it to a pre-planned point.
BASF IT Services developed the graphically accessible rail wagon logistics by linking the Java application and the animation software 'Flash'.
Rail wagons' administration with standard software RailWeb draws some of its information from a new rail transportation management system, known as 'BTM'.
The existing old system for rail wagons' administration has been replaced by BTM standard software.
BASF IT Services integrated the system into the application landscape of BASF.
The Service Center Railway can steer via BTM the pool both of BASF's own, plus externally hired rail wagons.
According to requirements, rail wagons are hired externally via BTM and then internally hired out to other BASF companies or plants.
Improved customer orientation "With RailWeb we have been able to improve on our customer orientation and create a central access to the services of the Service Center Railway", explained Horst Herrmann, project leader for RailWeb "The initial savings are already visible.
We need to use fewer rail wagons although we are transporting increased quantities." Herrmann added, "And we have additional development potential.
RailWeb is a SAP multi-client platform and could easily be integrated into other European locations." Furthermore, it is planned to go from the Intranet of the BASF Group into the Internet.
Thus, RailWeb could also be made accessible to external business partners.
Wolfgang Erny, Managing Director of BASF IT Services, responsible for the Sales and Delivery Division, explained, "We didn't just happen to come across this finished product; this web portal has been tailor-made to the requirements of our customers.
Naturally, we also offer this service to non-BASF customers.".
• BASF IT Services: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Processingtalk email newsletter
• Processingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
