19.02.2026
Seamless transformation instead of a hard cut
Many companies in the mechanical engineering sector are faced with a crucial question: How can the specific requirements of engineering and production be separated in a sustainable manner without sacrificing the advantages of historically grown structures? While many companies are still grappling with this challenge, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, together with BDF EXPERTS, has embarked on an innovative and practical path—and set the course for the future.
The starting point: two worlds, one goal
In the mechanical engineering of injection molding machines, two fundamentally different approaches collide: the function-oriented design world of engineering and the assembly-focused production perspective. This “forced symbiosis” presented Sumitomo (SHI) Demag with considerable challenges:
- Mixed structures: Engineering documents and production requirements competed in the same systems
- Complex migration: A radical system change would have jeopardized proven processes and risked data loss
The objective was clear: better scalability, clear separation of responsibilities, and more effective processes without the abrupt loss of established processes.
The solution: SAP PPG with an innovative production resource structure
The key to a successful transformation lay in a customized solution based on SAP Product and Process Governance (PPG), developed by BDF EXPERTS.
The PRS approach:
- Production Resource Structure (PRS): This innovative structure separates production-related priorities from engineering requirements. A production order-specific structure (POS) is created from the Engineering Bill of Materials (EBOM) using a rule-based transformation. The basis of this structure, including all manufacturing requirements such as work plans, etc., is the PRS.
- Coexistence instead of a hard cut: In contrast to classic migrations, this approach does not require a hard switch. The old world—such as classic EBOM parts lists—remains intact and is used in parallel with the new structures. This enables a gradual transformation without any disruptions.
Technical details and special features
- EBOM remains as a material bill of materials and can continue to be used.
- PRS and POS enable clear separation and targeted reuse of production-relevant information.
- Departments can rely on established or new workflows—while benefiting from a transparent data structure and traceable documentation for each component.
Key added value
The key added values are:
- Clarity and focus: Engineering and production can concentrate on their own core competencies and workflows.
- Sustainability and flexibility: The solution can be expanded at any time through rule-based transformation while supporting proven processes.
- Transparency and traceability: Every processing step and every delivered part is traceable, whether CTO, CTO+, or ETO components.
- Strategic support: Implementation contributes directly to the corporate strategy: a clearer separation of processes, greater scalability, and the opportunity for continuous optimization.
Customer testimonial: Collaboration on equal terms
What makes this project unique
The solution implemented with SAP PPG and PRS allows for a rule-based fusion of the tried-and-tested and the innovative – established engineering structures are retained without compromising future viability. Novel structural concepts such as the production order structure (POS) ensure greater consistency, traceability, and efficiency – a model step for the entire industry. During the project, further process optimizations were identified, the implementation of which is planned for the next phases. The prerequisite: the flexible PRS architecture can be adapted at any time without disruption.
Outlook: Ready for scaling, optimization, and innovation
While most organizations still have to mediate between engineering pragmatism and production reality, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, with the support of BDF EXPERTS, has created a future-proof solution—and laid the foundation for continuous further development.
About Sumitomo
Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery GmbH is an international manufacturer of injection molding machines and systems headquartered in Schwaig near Nuremberg, Germany, with a second German plant in Wiehe (Thuringia). The company has been part of the Japanese Sumitomo Group since 2008 and combines German and Japanese engineering to create tailor-made production solutions for plastics processors worldwide. A strategic focus is on the expansion of fully electric platforms (including IntElect) as well as integrated system solutions, automation concepts, and digital services that support efficiency, energy savings, and process stability in manufacturing.
About BDF EXPERTS
BDF EXPERTS is the brand name of bdf consultants GmbH, a leading SAP Silver/SolEx partner with comprehensive expertise in the areas of digital supply chain and corporate finance & treasury (CFT). For more than 25 years, BDF EXPERTS has been supporting companies based on SAP ERP and S/4HANA in achieving measurable value creation through end-to-end digitalized processes. In the area of digital supply chain, BDF EXPERTS has developed particular expertise in holistic data management. With SAP PPG (Product and Process Governance), BDF EXPERTS offers an innovative solution for the central control of all product and process data in SAP, thereby creating the basis for data-driven business models. The consulting services cover all business processes of product lifecycle management (PLM) – from data import and document management (SAP DMS) to the entire supply chain (SAP SCM, MM, PP, PS, SAM).
In the area of corporate finance and treasury, BDF EXPERTS offers specialized solutions for financial processes, cash management, risk management, and compliance. With customized SAP implementations, we optimize financial flows, increase transparency, and support informed decision-making processes in the treasury area.
Its customers range from innovative medium-sized companies such as Groz-Beckert and Thermofin to global corporations such as Schüco, Scheuch, Haniel, Hilti, Bitburger, thyssenkrupp, and many more. The company employs 55 people at its locations in Düsseldorf and Munich. Through BDF EXPERTS AG, a subsidiary of bdf consultants GmbH based in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, the company serves customers in Switzerland and Austria.
