How Orion digitized its warehouse logistics
From Germany to Brazil – and Back
Orion Engineered Carbons is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality carbon black, used in products such as car tires, plastics, and coatings. The company operates numerous production sites worldwide, including its largest facility in Kalscheuren, Germany.
At its Brazilian site in Paulínia, carbon black is produced in powder form and packed into big bags weighing up to 1,200 kilograms. This site supplies both national and international customers and places a strong emphasis on efficient, reliable logistics processes. Until the SAP WM implementation in 2024, warehouse and shipping processes there were still largely managed manually.
Following the successful execution of a similar project at the Kalscheuren site, HPC was commissioned to implement SAP WM and Mobisys in Brazil—and successfully outperformed local competitors in the selection process.
An ambitious goal, an international team, and a clear plan.
When carbon black is packaged in big bags, everything must run smoothly. At Orion Engineered Carbons in Brazil, it was clear: warehouse logistics needed to become more digital, efficient, and future-ready. The goal: implement SAP WM and mobile scanning processes with Mobisys — in just five months.
The starting point:
The Brazilian site offered ideal conditions: a motivated team, a clear objective—and a timeline that demanded precision.
Even during the conceptual phase, it became clear: this project was strategically important—not only for Brazil but also as a blueprint for other plants worldwide. Collaboration was closely coordinated across four continents: Brazil, Germany, Texas, and India. Different time zones? No problem—thanks to strong coordination and clearly defined responsibilities.
The solution:
Together with Orion, HPC developed a WM template that addressed both the local requirements in Brazil and the company’s international rollout plans.
Key focus areas included:
-
Implementation of SAP WM including storage unit management
-
Deployment of Mobisys scanner solutions for internal warehouse processes, picking, loading, and inventory
-
Development and integration of a new material label with QR code, printable on four different Zebra printers
-
On-site support during go-live at the Paulínia, Brazil location
When technology presents challenges, the team grows stronger together
An unexpected sticking point turned out to be the labeling: different printer models, varying resolutions, and a printer driver that refused to cooperate. Instead of managing problems, everyone worked together to find solutions. With a great deal of commitment, expertise, and teamwork, they succeeded in creating a stable printing solution.
Seamless, practical, and collaborative
Go-live in Paulínia
On October 2, 2024, our WM and mobility expert Michael Müller-Rackel traveled to Brazil to support the local team. Despite the “sooty” production environment, the implementation was structured and successful. Within just a few days, warehouse processes were running reliably in the new system. Scanners, labels, storage locations – everything was ready to go. And the local team was quickly trained and highly motivated.
Potential unleashed
Processes fine-tuned
After the go-live, it became clear that the decision to implement an additional block storage structure significantly increased flexibility and efficiency.
Result:
→ More flexible and faster order picking
→ 50% increase in daily deliveries
