SAF-HOLLAND GmbH

Serial number-related spare parts catalogues via QR code on tablet & smartphone

With approximately 860 million Euro turn-over in 2012 and over 3.100 employees SAF-HOLLAND S.A. is one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of high-quality systems and components for trailers and trucks as well as buses and recreational vehicles. The company, that was formed in 2006 through the merger of Otto Sauer Achsenfabrik GmbH in Germany and The HOLLAND Group in the USA, comprises three business units. The Trailer Systems business unit produces axle and suspension systems, landing gears and kingpins for manufacturers of trailers. The Powered Vehicle Systems area manufactures fifth wheels and suspension systems for the manufacturers of trucks and buses. In the aftermarket business unit SAF-HOLLAND guarantees the timely supply of spare parts to the transport industry. SAF-HOLLAND sells products on five continents to original manufacturers (”OEMs“) in the basic equipment market and in the aftermarket to original manufacturer service networks (”OESs“) of OEMs, as well as via a global sales and service network. Via this network SAF-HOLLAND distributes its products to end users and service centres. SAF-HOLLAND has thus established itself as one of the few suppliers in its industry that is positioned internationally with a comprehensive range of products and a broad service network.

Service - just in time

You only earn money when the truck and trailer are out on the road. Waiting times due to necessary repairs and maintenance are costly. With a dense service network spread out all over the world SAF-HOLLAND supplies drivers and haulage companies with spare parts and technical know-how in a prompt and competent manner. Service partners of SAF-HOLLAND include all well-known truck and trailer manufacturers.

PARTS-PUBLISHER - Turbo for the spare parts service

Since 2006 SAF-HOLLAND has been relying on PARTS-PUBLISHER from Docware when it comes to the management and preparation of spare parts information for customers, service organisations and for its own Service Team. The company operates a spare parts catalog system to provide serial number related catalogs on CD, on the Intranet and Internet. The Internet catalog is integrated in an Internet shop. The first shop operated was super-seded by the PARTS-SHOP of Docware in 2009. The electronic spare parts catalog system that authorised users can access at any time and from any location is an optimal information and order platform when it comes to getting the necessary spare parts as quickly as possible. The data is displayed based on serial numbers. Every catalog user only receives the information that is compatible with just his vehicle. This means no stumbling over terms or variants, but quick research and unerring selection of the required parts. The serial number display is based on a complex filter function of PARTS-PUBLISHER, with that - initiated by inputting serial/production number - the relevant data is automatically selected and displayed in the catalog.

Spare parts catalog for tablets and smartphones

A current challenge that SAF-HOLLAND as one of the first companies of the automotive industry has successfully met is the rapid proliferation of mobile devices. So that customers and service technicians are also able to access spare parts catalogs on tablets or smartphones, SAF-HOLLAND implemented the PARTS-PUBLISHER Tablet Catalog in the middle of 2012. This is a PARTS-PUBLISHER version with an user interface adapted specially for touch screen control. It supports gesture commands and intuitive finger operation. By tapping and swiping linked parts lists and drawings, detailed information on parts list items and documents are displayed. Parts required can be ordered directly from the catalog via the connected shop. PARTS-PUBLISHER Tablet Catalog supports mobile devices with the operating systems iOS, Android and Windows 8. Therefore, the users of SAF-HOLLAND spare parts catalogs can access the necessary spare parts data using almost all current tablets and smartphones, be it an Apple iPad, Apple iPhone, ASUS Transformer Pad, Samsung Galaxy or Windows 8 Tablet.

Catalog access using QR code

The spare parts catalog specific to the respective vehicle can be accessed using a QR code. This is attached together with the type plate on the axles of SAF-HOLLAND. The QR code is related to the serial number. After the QR code is scanned using a tablet or smartphone the spare parts catalog belonging to the respective serial number opens automatically. In case of older products without QR code or products with damaged or lost type plates, the catalog system can also be accessed by tablet or smartphone. After login the catalog user only needs to insert the serial number to see the corresponding information.

No extra effort for tablet or smartphone catalogs

The support of tablets and smartphones means no additional effort for SAF-HOLLAND during the compilation of the catalogs. It does not matter whether paper, CD or Internet catalogs are compiled and if these are viewed on traditional PCs or on modern tablets or smartphones. All catalog data is stored media-independent in the PARTS-PUBLISHER database, i.e. irrespective of the publication medium to be produced. Catalogs are generated with just a few mouse clicks and automatically processed for the desired publication medium at the touch of a button. This means that all PARTS-PUBLISHER catalog data currently available can be displayed on tablets or smartphones without further processing. Only the PARTS-PUBLISHER Tablet licence and a unique configuration of the templates for tablet or smartphone catalogs are required.

Conclusion

With its Internet spare parts portal SAF-HOLLAND offers its customers, service organisations and service employees a modern and professional service platform, that supports simple, quick and error-free spare parts identification and ordering at its best. Using state-of-the-art mobile technologies characterises SAF-HOLLAND as an innovation leader when it comes to providing complex information where it is required. A leader where vehicle technology is concerned, a trendsetter when it involves perfect service – SAF-HOLLAND represents all that with personal commitment and innovative software tools.

“Many thanks to the Docware team for the good collaboration and the quick implementation of our project. The experience of the project team and the commitment, also for urgent requests and requests at short notice, contributed decisively to a result we are 100% satisfied with.”

Jan Hofmann, Documentation Business Unit Aftermarket, SAF-HOLLAND GmbH