Rapid, complex and highly demanding manufacturing processes require companies to adapt with flexibility and efficiency to constantly changing challenges and requirement profiles. They rely on solution providers and partners like Simplifier to help them implement their digitalization strategy quickly, cost-effectively and easily – as does GMN Paul Müller Industrie GmbH & Co. KG. GMN is the world’s leading supplier of high-precision ball bearings, machine spindles, freewheels, seals and electric drives and has set itself the goal of driving internal application creation in all of the company’s departments with the help of Simplifier’s low-code technology.
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The family-owned company GMN Paul Müller Industrie GmbH & Co. KG is already in its fourth generation of manufacturing high-precision ball bearings, machine spindles, freewheels, non-contact seals and electric drives. In the area of machine spindles, GMN produces individual solutions that are custom-made according to customer requirements and are used in a wide range of applications in a variety of ways. In the business fields of high-precision ball bearings and freewheels and seals, GMN offers highly standardized product solutions. Accuracy, precision and flexibility are deeply anchored in the corporate philosophy and all product areas. As a result, GMN also strives to adopt a modern and forward-looking approach to the technologies and solutions used, which allows it to meet the highest quality requirements.
“Being a modern company, GMN’s aspiration is to drive our digitization strategy forward quickly and efficiently by using the latest methods and tools. We consider in-house application creation using low-code technology to be an essential component of this. Therefore, we are deliberately breaking new ground in order to be able to strongly involve our departments in this process. Hence, we specifically looked for the right low-code platform and finally found it in Simplifier.”
Choosing the right low-code provider
GMN reviewed several platforms and ultimately decided in favor of Simplifier after several rounds of evaluation.
“Simplifier’s platform as well as digitalization excellence convinced us as a total package. Specifically, the modular structure was very appealing to us. The possibility of reusing individual modules for different applications and the associated simplified administration were important criteria in our eyes.”
Yet even beyond technological criteria, GMN has found a reliable solution provider in Simplifier.
“Beyond the geographic proximity between Nuremberg and Würzburg, Simplifier is a close and very responsive company. They quickly and purposefully accommodate our needs and take our needs seriously. This makes us partners at eye level.”
Start of cooperation
Initial contact was made during a VDMA experience exchange with Michael Weinig AG, an existing Simplifier customer. At this event, GMN gained its first impressions of Simplifier’s low-code platform. The collaboration finally began in January 2021 with a workshop to create a characteristic application at the process and management level, based in the procurement area.
The actual implementation of the app was carried out by just one GMN application developer. As part of Simplifier’s standard enabling process, Simplifier’s Customer Success team provided him with the necessary know-how to implement the application. It took only twelve weeks from the first workshop to the go-live of the application.
“GMN is driving the implementation of low-code technology into the corporate structures with commitment and has already implemented the first applications in a well-targeted manner. As a typical non-SAP customer with its own ERP system, GMN has found the ideal partner in us and can fully exploit the flexible integration capabilities of our platform.”
Joint future
The enabling process involved Simplifier providing the necessary know-how to drive GMN’s digitization goals with the help of low-code technology. So far, GMN has been able to realize three applications. In addition, work on further apps has already begun and it is planned to implement a handful of additional apps in the next two years – with a particular focus on more complex applications for the process and management level and the manufacturing area.