Centida’s customer-centric approach revolutionizes Casco’s business processes
In a world where demands on Business Intelligence and data processing are constantly increasing, the ability to act swiftly and effectively is paramount. Ramon Vermin, serving as the leader for Finance and IT of the international manufacturing company Casco Automotive, faced the daunting task of optimizing the company’s internal processes to enhance competitiveness and operational efficiency. The strategic partnership with Centida proved to be a game-changer. Imke Feldmann (thebiccountant.com) played a crucial role in bridging the initial gap between Ramon’s needs and Centida’s solutions, introducing him to Centida consultant Ilya Fedorkov, whose user-centric and pragmatic approaches were key to driving significant organizational improvements.
As Group director, Ramon is directly responsible for overseeing the financial health and technological infrastructure of the company, worldwide. He and his team of controllers were plagued by outdated technological infrastructures, silo-ed SQL database systems, a heterogeneous ERP system landscape, numerous Excel spreadsheets and cumbersome reporting tools that hindered rapid decision-making, especially when it comes to Financial Planning and Forecasting.
Ramon and his team started the journey eagerly with high-end Power BI based Planning and Forecasting Software Power ON from insightsoftware. But it wasn’t as early as Centida joined his consultant team that Casco was able to reveal the full potential of the Power ON solutions. Centida offered a clear and fast strategy to implement, focusing on end-users needs.
Ramon Vermin, Group Director Finance, Controlling & IT at Casco Automotive:
I often have problems with other consultants who think only in terms of technology and not usability.
Pragmatic technical solutions for increased load times and fast responses
Centida’s expertise led to the implementation of advanced SQL optimization techniques that not only streamlined data processing but also significantly reduced load times, significantly saving hardware investments with ease-of-use writeback technology. This enhancement facilitated quicker access to vital operational and financial data, enabling the management team to make informed decisions rapidly and effectively and at the same time reacting to end-customers needs almost real-time. With Centida’s swift ability of adoption to end-users’ usability needs, Ramon was in a position to quickly present new sustainable reporting solutions to his team worldwide.
As Ramon says, “I often have problems with other consultants who think only in terms of technology and not usability”, the user-centric approaches Centida delivered helped him to achieve quicker user-adoption across the organization.
Driving the CFO-Office with state-of-the-art Microsoft Fabric technology
Centida’s expertise in Microsoft Power BI and Fabric was utilized to develop customized reporting tools that provided deeper insights into operational efficiencies and market trends. Furthermore, the close collaboration with Imke Feldmann helped to make Casco’s Controlling department a flexibly-reacting task force to the internal decision-making processes.
The journey of CFO excellence started early 2023. By the time, Centida supported with strategic analytics values and scalable technical solutions from SQL backend operations to using Machine Learning technology based on Microsoft Fabric.
Impactful Projects and Transformations Centida helped to realize
Ramon Vermin, Group Director Finance, Controlling & IT at Casco Automotive:
With Centida, I don’t need to define multi-pager Word documents. I would just briefly outline what I want ‘in black and white’ and they understand and implement it straight away.
With Ramon driving the CFO office in an agile manner, Centida was able to fit in where business understanding was needed to be translated into technical solutions. Within a year, Casco would be able to use start-of-the-art writeback solutions and Fabric Data Flow technology for orchestrating several technological innovations.The CFO office had become a central repository of organizational knowledge.
Here is how the transformation took place, putting several puzzles into one piece.
1. Synchronized Symphony: Integrated Sales and Financial Planning
Before: Previously, sales forecasts and financial plans operated in silos, like numerous Excel spreadsheets, causing discrepancies that led to missed opportunities and resource misallocations.
After: With the integrated planning system, sales forecasts and cost forecasts harmonize perfectly, aligning forecasts with budgets to optimize profitability and resource utilization.
Centida’s impact: Centida’s innovative solution seamlessly merges critical data, ensuring that every financial decision is informed and strategic, significantly enhancing operational efficiency. With PowerON writeback technology and pragmatic SQL Code implementations, Centida was able to realize planning and forecasting at product level and single customer level along Casco’s multi-level sales hierarchy.
Ramon Vermin, Group Director Finance, Controlling & IT at Casco Automotive:
Centida’s ability to translate business requirements into technology is unique. Sometimes I am in the call with other colleagues or consultants. And I’d just think: I need Centida in the call now
2. A Shield Against Risk: Accounts Receivables Management Redefined
Before: Managing accounts receivables was a reactive process, often catching the company off-guard with defaults and delayed payments, impacting cash flow.
After: The new tool uses consistent writeback with commenting options for potential payment issues, allowing the company to proactively manage credit risks and improve overall financial health. The accounting team now has thorough insights into delays of payments and, thus, a positive impact on securing the Cash Flow.
Centida’s Impact: This solution acts as a financial shield, safeguarding the company’s revenue streams by predicting and mitigating risks before they impact the business. The PowerON writeback technology offers easy-to-use commenting functions that can be used across all accounting departments worldwide. Even in real-time.
3. Backing the Backbone of Business: Harmonizing Master Data Management
Before: Disparate ERP systems led to inconsistent master data settings like customer master data or cost center master data that could not be trusted for making critical business decisions, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors.
After: The revamped master data management system serves as the organization’s backbone, ensuring uniform and accurate data across all platforms, enhancing decision-making confidence.
Centida’s impact: Centida delivered a single source of truth, eliminating data silos and enabling unified, informed decision-making across the enterprise. Everybody is now talking about the same customers.
4. Predictive Power: AI-driven Sales Forecasts
Before: The company’s response to market trends was often delayed, resulting in missed opportunities and suboptimal inventory management.
After: With AI-driven forecasting, the company not only keeps pace with market dynamics but also anticipates future trends, allowing for strategic inventory and marketing manoeuvres.
Centida’s Impact: This forward-thinking tool empowers the company to stay ahead of the curve, ensuring market leadership through proactive rather than reactive strategies. At the same time, AI helps Casco in foreseeing future sales trends
5. What you see is what you’ve got: Intercompany Planning
Before: Today, it seems the industrial market is more volatile than ever before. Volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) are main factors when it comes to planning and forecasting. As a main enabler of OEM in the automotive industry, Casco needs to answer customers’ needs just-in-time. The only tool for this was a sophisticated Excel-solution.
After: Thanks to Microsoft Fabric and PowerON, the matching of demands and capacities is now fully integrated. Each production plant knows exactly what the other plants are producing and have on stock. Supply chains and transportation times become much more transparent, and sales employees are now able to provide customers with instant information.
Centida’s Impact: Centida helped to leverage the solution in the new Power ON XL Excel-based look-and-feel planning tool. The given Excel sheet was literally cut into pieces and translated into a real-time collaboration tool.
A World Without Centida’s support was like a glimpse into the Abyss
Had fate not brought Centida into Ramon’s orbit, the path would have been fraught with missed opportunities and technological stagnation. Instead of a narrative of growth and innovation, the story might have been one of struggle and consternation.
A Future Forged in Innovation
This partnership transcended typical consultancy. It was a journey of metamorphosis, leaving behind outdated practices to embrace a future where technology and strategy converge seamlessly. Ramon, empowered by Centida’s insight, now steers his company not just toward growth but toward industry dominance.
About Casco
Casco Products Corporation was founded in 1921 and is headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany.
As part of Amphenol’s Automotive Group, Casco is a leading global manufacturer of highly engineered power electronics, high voltage interface modules, sensors and USB charging ports. With global sales to almost all OEMs & Tiers and more than 1,400 employees worldwide, Casco has a proven track record of providing its automotive customers with world-class innovative technical product solutions. As an established international company with start-up energy and production facilities on five continents, Casco can offer customers local production and logistic services suited to their needs.
Always in pursuit of new technologies and product opportunities, Casco has continued to expand its product line year after year, positioning the company as a dominant player in the OEM and aftermarket industry. With a large customer base and exciting product portfolio, Casco is well suited for further growth and is prepared to confront the challenges facing the automotive industry today and in the future.
Learn from Ramon’s successful symbiosis with Centida and revolutionize Your Business with us
Imagine leading your industry, not just participating in it. Envision your business processes so streamlined and your data so clear that every decision propels you forward. This isn’t just a possibility—it’s a reality within your reach, just as it became for Ramon and Casco.
With Centida, transformation is not just about technology; it’s about turning your strategic vision into operational success. Ramon’s journey from managing chaos to commanding a synchronized, data-driven enterprise in just a couple of months underscores the power of precise, innovative solutions tailored to specific business needs. Technologies like Microsoft Power BI and Fabric as well as Power BI based writeback solutions are game changers. Whether it’s enhancing financial foresight, optimizing procurement strategies, or predicting market trends, Centida equips leaders like you to excel.
Are you ready to redefine your business’s future? Don’t let outdated systems and siloed data slow you down. Contact Centida today to discover how we can tailor our technology experience to your unique challenges and ambitions. Visit our website, or schedule a consultation to start your journey toward a smarter, more proactive business model. Let’s build your success story together.