Story highlights
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At a glance
- Industry - Manufacturing
- Region - Germany
- Company Size - 2,500+ employees
- Project - AI and data transformation, with Hitachi Solutions as Data & AI partner
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Products & Services
- Microsoft Azure
- Azure OpenAI Service
- Azure AI Foundry
- Cosmos DB
- Entra ID
- Key Vault
- Microsoft Fabric, Synapse and Purview (integrated with SAP and Salesforce)
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Results Snapshot
- 2 AI use cases delivered: a knowledge agent and automated document capture
- Year 1 - return on investment achieved in the first year
- 17 global locations with the AI knowledge assistant available
- Lower software licence costs through consolidated solutions
The Customer
The WEINIG Group, headquartered in Tauberbischofsheim, is a global leader in the manufacture of machines and systems for solid wood processing. With over 2,500 employees and 17 locations worldwide, the company offers a comprehensive portfolio, from stand-alone machines through to fully automated production solutions, for both trade and industry.
It is a business with deep engineering heritage and a global footprint, serving customers who depend on precision, reliability and uptime. That combination of scale and complexity is exactly why digital efficiency matters: small improvements in how knowledge and processes flow across 17 locations add up quickly.
WEINIG recognised early on the potential of artificial intelligence to redesign internal processes and drive digital transformation. Faced with real cost pressure, it set out to use AI in a targeted, pragmatic way, and looked for a partner who could take it from strategy through to working solutions.
The Challenge
WEINIG recognised early on the potential of AI to redesign internal processes and drive digital transformation within the company. Faced with significant cost pressure, the business sought ways to both reduce costs and increase efficiency, while at the same time increasing its flexibility and responsiveness to customer requests.
In a joint workshop with Hitachi Solutions, the key challenges were identified, concrete potential was recognised, and initial solutions were developed, always with the goal of a pragmatic, agile implementation. The specific challenges to be addressed were:
- Cost pressure: finding ways to reduce costs and increase efficiency
- Limited personnel capacities
- A complex system landscape with existing solutions such as SAP and Salesforce
- High demands on security, scalability and system integration
- Structured access to internal knowledge
To overcome these challenges, suitable data sources had to be identified, interfaces created, and information prepared in such a way that it could be used for AI-based applications. WEINIG was looking for a partner that brought not only in-depth knowledge of the manufacturing industry and AI, but also the ability to implement digital projects in an agile and holistic manner, from strategic consulting through to technical delivery. In Hitachi Solutions, it found exactly that.
The Solution
With Hitachi Solutions as its partner, WEINIG was able to quickly develop concrete, AI-powered solutions that both increased efficiency and put the company on the path to digital transformation. Two initial use cases were identified and successfully implemented.
1. AI assistant for knowledge transfer. Hitachi Solutions developed an AI-based „Customer Lifetime Service Agent“ built on Azure OpenAI Service. The agent provides employees with relevant knowledge across all locations, quickly, securely and in context.
- Intelligent search based on large language models, fed from a structured knowledge database (Azure Cosmos DB)
- Compliance with all security requirements through Azure Entra ID, Key Vault and role-based access controls
- Versatile use, for example service requests, translations and document consolidation
2. Automated document capture. To optimise administrative processes, an AI-supported solution for document recognition and processing was implemented.
- Automatic extraction, verification and delivery of relevant content to downstream systems
- Direct connection to existing systems such as SAP, as well as to documents from emails and other sources
The implementation followed a structured, iterative process that ensured results were delivered quickly and efficiently:
- AI Envisioning Workshop: joint identification and prioritisation of relevant use cases
- Prototyping: technical validation and feasibility analysis
- MVP development: building a scalable, secure architecture on Microsoft Azure
- Rollout: expansion to other departments and use cases
- Change management and training: supporting employees in adopting the new technologies and methods
Why Hitachi Solutions
WEINIG chose Hitachi Solutions for a holistic approach spanning processes, people and technology, with change management treated as an essential part of successful adoption. The partner combined a deep understanding of the mechanical and plant engineering industry with technological expertise in Microsoft Azure and the AI Foundry for generative AI, alongside comprehensive know-how in cloud-based data platforms such as Microsoft Fabric, Synapse and Purview. The result was a reliable partnership at eye level, able to support WEINIG from vision through to rollout, with fast, agile delivery and scalable, modular solutions.
Working with Hitachi Solutions allows us to implement our AI strategy in a targeted manner. The close cooperation and in-depth understanding of our requirements have contributed significantly to the project’s success.
The Benefits
- Higher productivity through automation of repetitive tasks
- Efficient knowledge transfer via the AI assistant, which significantly simplifies information searches and makes knowledge permanently available
- Improved customer service response times, consistent and independent of location
- A future-proof architecture, flexibly scalable for further innovation
- A fast return on investment, achieved in the first year
- Reduced software licence costs through consolidated solutions, with effective cost reductions reaching the P&L
What’s Next?
The successful partnership between WEINIG and Hitachi Solutions continues. A further use case for the AI-supported optimisation of procurement and financial processes is currently being developed, and generative AI models, intelligent services and predictive services will also be deployed in future. Other goals include:
- Higher quality and recognition rates above 90% through AI-supported image recognition
- Fewer machine downtimes thanks to improved advanced predictive maintenance
- A better basis for decision-making through structured data and automated processes
Hitachi Solutions remains a key partner in WEINIG’s digital transformation, with a focus on innovation, manufacturing know-how, Microsoft expertise and people at the centre.
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