AGRITECHNICA 2023

This week it was again time for AGRITECHNICA for the team of ANTARES Life Cycle Solutions GmbH!

For the first time since 2019 AGRITECHNICA – the world’s largest show case for agricultural technology – opened its doors again and we, too, used this opportunity to meet our existing customers as well to introduce our services to prospective companies in this ever-growing industry. And to meet old friends we have made over many years in the industry.

The official numbers from DLG are yet to be published but from what we have seen, the show has been a great success to exhibitors and visitors! Long awaited and with lots of innovations and new products, the response of the public has been tremendous which is reflected in the huge number of visitors.

Same is true for us: we have had the pleasure of extremely busy days with lots of interesting discussions and positive response to our business model as solution providers for difficult-to-source spare parts. And with everyone talking about sustainability and remanufacturing, we expect this demand to grow even more.

AGRITECHNICA has again proved that is the place to be for decision-makers and thus the leading business marketplace. Buyers, engineers, developers and spare and wear parts managers in the agricultural machinery and off-highway sector were all there.

 #agritechnica DLG e.V. – German Agricultural Society #obsolescence #spareparts #agriculturemachinery

OEM visit by BOMAG

As part of an OEM visit to BOMAG in Boppard, we had the opportunity to gain an insight into BOMAG’s production and innovative products during a factory tour and specialist presentations. The visit was organized by the CVC SÜDWEST (Commercial Vehicle Cluster).

This visit also gave us the opportunity to learn more about the BOMAG product range and to make personal contact with representatives of the company and other participants.

Typical problems of slow-mover products

Initially companies are primarily concerned with innovations and thus with new technologies and products. In contrast, only a few (and then mostly larger) companies take a professional approach to the “long tail” of the Pareto curve (sales over product range), where processes and responsibilities are clearly defined and the product range is actually subject to comprehensive and regular maintenance.

However, it is precisely this “long tail” that conceals considerable potential for savings and efficiency gains. This potential is made up of:

– Storage costs and capital tied up by keeping parts that are not or only rarely needed in stock

– Keeping production facilities and operating resources in stock when capacity utilization is usually low

– Failure to adjust prices due to lack of awareness in the sales department

– Complexity in overhead functions such as Purchasing, R&D, QM, Product Management, Sales, Marketing

– Complexity in business systems (ERP, PLM) due to corresponding data volumes as well as maintenance efforts e.g. in Change Management

These costs are generally not transparent by the usual method of overhead costing, so that corresponding adjustments to the product range are either not carried out at all or are only carried out as part of special projects. Such projects are often triggered externally, e.g. by supplier changes, insolvencies of suppliers, material changes, changed ordering behavior of customers. Rarely do companies become active on their own initiative, and especially in sales there is a great deal of inertia regarding such products. Yet the targeted management of these parts would bring a whole range of valid benefits:

– Savings of directly attributable costs

– Increased sales through adjusted prices

– Reduction of complexity in production and logistics (processes, areas, parking spaces)

– Reduction of complexity in overhead functions

– Streamlining of business systems

ANTARES LCS GmbH helps its customers to generate sustainable savings of 0.5% – 2% of their turnover.

Our consulting services with the topic Product Range Optimization cover the following topics:

  • Concrete recommendations for action based on comprehensive analyses (ABC, YXZ)
  • Execution support during implementation and realization
  • Introduction of sustainable systems and processes for assortment maintenance

Product Range Optimization

The mission of ANTARES LCS GmbH is to support its customers in increasing profit and efficiency. This is achieved by reducing costs and inefficiencies caused by products with low and additionally volatile sales volumes.

The target products are so called slow movers, e.g.:

  • Spare parts
  • Assemblies and components at the end of their life cycle (“old parts”)
  • Small and very small series at the start and ramp-up of production

On the other hand, we do not deal with typical C-parts management (consumables, standard parts, etc.).

Supply of Products / Commodities

We are Solution Providers for Spare Parts of Machines, Vehicles and Engines in various industries such as Filtration, Off-Highway, Marine, Mining, Agriculture, PowerGen, Hydraulic, Pumps, Powertrain, Material Handling and Mechanical as well as Machinery and Plant Engineering. 

Variant Managemet

Variants , inactive products and slow-movers are constantly increasing across the life cycle on the other side margins and motivation are decreasing.

Customer Visit

We were busy in the month of June visiting our customers around Europe including AGCO, CNH and MAN ES to take the opportunity to discuss face to face with our partners the challenges of Spare Parts in supply chain management. It is not always easy to find the proper solutions balancing the high complexity with low quantity in the engineering world, nevertheless it is our expertise at ANTARES Life Cycle Solutions to fulfill the Obsolescence requirements of our clients.

AGCO, headquartered in the United States, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of agricultural machinery and equipment. In Ennery, France, AGCO operates a production facility where it designs, engineers, and manufactures a wide range of agricultural machinery, including tractors, combine harvesters, and seeding equipment. The biggest warehouse of AGCO worldwide is also located in  Ennery plant represents AGCO’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge agricultural solutions tailored to the needs of farmers in Europe and beyond, and it plays a vital role in supporting local agricultural communities while contributing to the global food production chain.

The New Holland Factory in Zedelgem, Belgium, is a significant manufacturing facility operated by CNH Industrial, a global leader in the agricultural and construction equipment industry. The factory specializes in the production of agricultural machinery, including tractors, harvesters, and balers, under the New Holland brand. With a rich heritage and a focus on innovation, the Zedelgem factory employs advanced manufacturing processes and technologies to deliver high-quality, reliable equipment to farmers worldwide. It serves as a hub for research, development, and manufacturing excellence, contributing to the advancement of sustainable farming practices and the overall productivity of the agricultural sector.

MAN Energy Solutions Benelux is a subsidiary of MAN Energy Solutions, a global leader in the field of large-bore diesel engines, turbomachinery, and power plants. Located in the Benelux region (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg), this company specializes in providing advanced engineering solutions for energy production and storage. With a focus on sustainable technologies, MAN Energy Solutions Benelux plays a crucial role in the region’s energy transition by delivering innovative solutions that promote efficiency, reliability, and environmental responsibility.

REMATEC 2023

Rematec is the world’s leading remanufacturing trade show for industry professionals, with their reman peers from over 80 nationalities this year 27 – 29 June 2023, in the exciting city of Amsterdam.
With today’s technological trends such as sustainability global aftermarket is becoming more complex and remanufacturing processes become more sophisticated. REMATEC provided the perfect platform to network, exchange ideas, and establish profitable business relationships.
 
There is consolidation throughout the supply chain and OEMs are taking stronger positions. In addition to this, there is a big push for sustainability which cannot be neglected. Remanufacturing is a central pillar of the Circular Economy.
REMATEC especially encourages the leadership of Warehouse Distributors, Wholesalers, and their buying groups to attend REMATEC. They learn the benefits of remanufactured parts in general and the strategic advantages of trading reman parts.
OEMs are executing an exclusive circular closed system though structuring of core return and availability of cores. Both OEMs and Independent Aftermarket got to REMATEC to find partners and solutions for their remanufacturing programs.
Remanufacturing provides a second life chance for the engines and machineries and Obsolescence Management provides a longer life chance for them. It was why we from ANTARES Life Cycle Solutions also visited the show, to source components and/or parts (re)manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers, services & equipment providers.