Transform your production quality with Opcenter & PCS7

From legacy constraints to digital excellence: How Köber Industries achieved 70% nonconformity reduction

In today’s manufacturing landscape, quality excellence and operational efficiency are non-negotiable competitive differentiators. Yet many producers struggle with fragmented systems, manual processes, and limited production visibility—challenges that directly impact customer satisfaction and profitability.

Köber Industries, Romania’s premier paint manufacturer serving the decorative and industrial markets for over 30 years, encountered these obstacles firsthand. Despite their market leadership across three production facilities, aging production control systems and paper-based workflows were constraining growth and undermining quality standards. The path forward required a comprehensive digital transformation strategy.

The answer came through a strategic partnership with Siemens Digital Industries Software and implementation partner Askom: integrating Opcenter Manufacturing Execution System (MES) with SIMATIC PCS 7 and SIMATIC BATCH as part of the Siemens Xcelerator business platform. This integrated approach delivered transformative results.

The operational challenge

Köber’s legacy infrastructure—comprised of simple temperature regulators and disconnected data management—could not support increasingly stringent quality regulations or provide the real-time visibility required for modern manufacturing. Manual spreadsheet-based production planning, incomplete quality records, and limited traceability created operational inefficiencies and compliance risks.

The digital solution: Integrated MES and automation

By deploying Opcenter and integrating it with their existing SAP enterprise resource planning system and SIMATIC automation suite, Köber established a unified digital manufacturing ecosystem. This integration delivered:

Quality and compliance improvements:

70% reduction in product nonconformity reports within first year
Sustained year-over-year quality gains through continuous monitoring
Rapid parameter correction cycles (one to two adjustments)

Operational efficiency gains:

Real-time access to production metrics, material consumption analytics, and dosage precision
Automated operator authentication and activity logging
Mobile scanning technology eliminating manual data entry errors
Production capacity increases of 2-3x in select departments

System integration benefits:

Seamless bidirectional data flow between MES and SAP
Automated master data synchronization across systems
Complete end-to-end traceability from raw materials through finished goods
Reduced administrative overhead and enhanced inventory visibility

Organizational transformation and results

Initial staff concerns about system adoption were quickly addressed through hands-on training and demonstrated value. The intuitive interface and immediate operational benefits fostered rapid organizational alignment.

According to Manole Apetroaie, IT Director at Köber Industries:

“With Opcenter, the number of product nonconformity reports decreased by 70 percent in the first year. Quality has improved significantly, with parameters met after one or two corrections. Now, in the third year, we can see how quality has increased year-over-year. Thanks to integration between Opcenter and SIMATIC, more actions are automatic now.”

Strategic implications and scalability

Köber’s successful implementation across their Turturesti facility has established a proven model for digital manufacturing excellence. The demonstrated ROI—encompassing quality improvements, labor optimization, and enhanced customer satisfaction—has prompted expansion planning to their remaining production sites.

Explore the complete case study

Discover how Köber Industries leveraged the Siemens Xcelerator platform to achieve manufacturing excellence, including detailed implementation insights, technical architecture, and measurable business outcomes.