Lichtenvoorde – One of Germany 's largest web offset printers, Westend Druckereibetriebe GmbH, has overhauled its business processes using DiMS! MIS System from DiMS! organizing print, the world leader in MIS systems for the printing and packaging industries. Following a phased implementation of the DiMS! MIS System, Essen-based Westend Druckereibetriebe has connected all its business processes – from estimating, purchasing, accounting, data collection, order management and planning to logistics and shipping – which has dramatically improved the efficiency of the company's workflow.
 
DiMS! MIS puts Westend ahead of the competition
Westend's aim was to use the DiMS! MIS Software to modernize its IT infrastructure and streamline production, making the company stronger commercially. According to Dr. Ralph Dittmann, Managing Director at Westend Druckereibetriebe, this is exactly what the DiMS! solution has achieved: "Nothing is as it was before. We've completely changed our functions and workflows since implementing DiMS!. There is nothing the system does not cover. DiMS! has given us an ultra-modern, coherent IT architecture – it allows us to push back redundant process steps within the company and respond faster, and it has transformed our internal workflow, making it far more efficient."
 
Westend conducted a thorough, year-long analysis of the different solutions on the market before opting for the DiMS! MIS System. The company phased the implementation over a six-month period, with the software deployed gradually throughout the various departments. The decision is already paying dividends, with the DiIMS! solution delivering a huge improvement in the efficiency of the company's workflows. "We're saving a lot of time and are now much more efficient in the way we work," says Dittmann. "For example, DiMS! enables us to create a quote on the laptop while we're visiting the customer."  A significant advantage of the DiMS MIS System is that it integrates so easily with Microsoft Office packages, such as Word or Excel.

Using intelligent IT to boost productivity
The DiMS! MIS/ERP system helps businesses speed up the production workflow, increase productivity, improve the data flow within the workflow, reduce mistakes and cut operating costs. "Westend understands the importance of a modern IT and database environment. To compete in this market and expand a business, you need automated and fast production – this can only be achieved using a company-wide MIS system," says Gerard Marneth, co-owner and CEO of DiMS! organizing print.
 
Westend Druckereibetriebe – a company with a long history
Since 2005, Westend Druckereibetriebe GmbH has been – as part of a management buyout – a part of the ThyssenKrupp organization, which was established in 1961 as an in-house print shop by Alfred Krupp. In summer 2009 Westend Druckereibetriebe GmbH and Kraft-Schlötels GmbH, from Wassenberg, formed one enterprise under the name WKS Druckholding GmbH, and became the largest German web offset printer. Spread across two sites, 400 employees deliver high-volume print products, including magazines, catalogs and supplements for renowned customers.