he students are proud of the successful result of their diploma thesis at Scheuch.

Four students from HAK Ried made a valuable contribution to the optimisation of purchasing work at Scheuch with their diploma thesis. With the redesign of the product group structure and the documentation in the form of a product group catalogue, sustainable and lasting added value was created for everyone involved.

The starting pistol for this ambitious project was fired in autumn 2022, when HAK and Scheuch were already coordinating the first steps to develop the concept for implementing a product group catalogue. In an intensive phase from the beginning of 2023, extensive analyses were carried out together to review and optimise the existing classifications and make them more transparent and accessible. The result: in March 2024, the company celebrated the successful introduction of an internal reference work, the now current product group catalogue.

Objective surpassed

The main objective of this joint initiative was to create a detailed description of the product groups in order to provide Scheuch employees with clear guidance in the purchasing process. "The structuring and transparency of the product groups not only makes day-to-day work easier, but also significantly reduces the risk of incorrect bookings. This leads to an increase in efficiency throughout the entire purchasing process and makes a significant contribution to cost optimisation," explains Walter Hochhold, department manager at Scheuch and project supervisor.

Valuable insights

The added value of this collaboration is tangible and sustainable for both partners. Scheuch benefits from an optimised purchasing structure that not only makes workflows more efficient, but also increases the quality of procurement processes. The internal reference work resulting from this project serves as a valuable tool for day-to-day work and as a basis for future optimisations in purchasing management. In addition, this co-operation gives the HAK students valuable insights into the practice of a leading industrial company and offers a unique opportunity to work on a real project with great operational benefits.

Thanks to the team

"We would like to thank the HAK team for their commitment and constructive collaboration - Romana Offenhuber (Focus on product group descriptions in detail), Antonia Stempfer (Focus on risk management), Julia Feichtenschlager (Focus on catalogue design and implementation), Elena Reichinger (Focus on quality management) and Prof. Marianne Hofmanninger for supervising the work," said Walter Hochhold (Director of Supply Chain Management) and Thomas Kienesberger (Strategic Procurement) from Scheuch in Aurolzmünster, who supervised the project.