In production, every minute counts - all the more problematic if components are missing for the maintenance or conversion of systems. The lifting, hoisting and lashing technology specialist RUD regularly needs components for these purposes - quickly, flexibly and precisely. The company uses FACTUREE, a specialist in digital procurement, to procure CNC components such as milled and turned parts - both as individual items and as also in small series. Result: The previous delivery times in procurement were halved, administrative costs were reduced by 20 % and security of supply was improved.
RUD Ketten Rieger & Dietz GmbH u. Co. KG was founded in 1875 in the Swabian town of Aalen and generates an annual turnover of around 250 million euros with around 1700 employees in over 120 countries. At locations in Germany, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Romania and the USA, the family-owned company produces slings and lashing components, anti-skid chains, hoist chains and conveyor systems.
Fast delivery of components required at short notice
As short delivery times are becoming increasingly important for customers in the industry in which RUD operates, the company is sourcing regularly since 2021 via FACTUREE. These are primarily used in maintenance and for the specific adaptation of production systems, for example for special tools or custom-fit spare parts in chain and component production. RUD also relies on FACTUREE when customized mechanical components are needed at short notice for systems or to implement individual customer requirements in the field of lifting and lashing technology.
"We came to FACTUREE because we increasingly needed a large number of different parts, often at short notice. We needed to find a reliable supplier that was fast," explains Gisela Quintenz, Operations Manager at RUD. "Today, FACTUREE supplies us with a wide range of mechanical components. These are often very different parts, from individual pieces to small batches - mainly CNC turned and milled parts."
Speed thanks to large production network
With its holistic digital procurement model, FACTUREE handles all administrative tasks - from supplier search and technical advice to production and post-processing - from a single source. FACTUREE has a network of more than 2,000 manufacturing partners worldwide.
As the sole contractual partner, FACTUREE handles the entire process for RUD: from the inquiry to the technical clarification to the production of the parts, including post-processing such as heat treatments or coatings. The digital procurement specialist covers a very broad spectrum, from 3-axis to 5-axis machining through to laser and welded parts.
Gisela Quintenz says: "We always receive quotations very quickly and the delivery times are also short. This allows us to flexibly organize changeovers in our production, for example. This gives us a high degree of planning security and prevents expensive downtime. The large production network ensures that even last-minute requests can be implemented quickly. Having a fixed contact person who manages the entire process for us saves us valuable time and effort."
Administrative effort reduced by around 20 percent
Since the start of the partnership, FACTUREE has supplied RUD with more than 500 different drawing parts. "With 132 orders, we only had one complaint, which was then resolved quickly and easily. Thanks to FACTUREE, we were able to halve the delivery times in procurement and reduce the administrative effort from order processing to goods receipt by around 20 %. This gives us valuable time for our core business and in turn enables us to increase our own delivery reliability," explains Gisela Quintenz.
