ifm: Global Supplier Evaluation with Azure AI
Evaluating suppliers worldwide is very time-consuming
The ifm Group, headquartered in Essen, is a manufacturer of automation technology systems and components for companies in a wide variety of industries. It sells its products and services to 165,000 customers in 145 countries worldwide. It has production facilities in Germany, Eastern Europe, the U.S., and, in the future, China as well.
The purchasing staff searches globally for suitable suppliers of components and services. To evaluate a supplier, they must consider a wide range of product-group-specific criteria, such as technical capabilities (e.g., machining diameter), industry experience, company size, and required certifications (ISO 9001). They must also ensure safety, reliability, and sustainability in the supply chain.
So far, their search strategies have been ad hoc, sometimes very time-consuming, and involve a great deal of manual work.
AI Assistance Aims to Optimize Procurement Processes
Together with our client ifm, we are therefore developing an “AI Assistant for Supplier Evaluation”: Through an intuitive, chat-based interface, procurement staff can engage in a natural dialogue with the AI Assistant.
The AI Assistant is designed to help the purchasing department quickly and systematically find and evaluate the most suitable suppliers.
The Challenge of Data Integration
Until now, new procurement markets could not be tapped as quickly as anticipated, since the relevant information about suppliers was scattered across structured and unstructured data, such as website information or internal evaluations.
The AI Assistant addresses this challenge by accessing relevant data sources from the ifm Supplier Platform—including ERP data—and selected data from existing crawler systems for existing customers, and indexing them using Azure AI Search.
Using Azure OpenAI, it extracts relevant information from structured and unstructured data and summarizes it.
Become an MVP in 11 weeks
Working together with the MaibornWolff team, the client’s three-person IT infrastructure team succeeded in developing and deploying the AI assistant for procurement within 11 weeks.
The AI Assistant evaluates suppliers based on defined criteria, such as certifications, equipment details, or industry focus.
New procurement employees can begin evaluating suppliers without a lengthy training period.
In the event of supply bottlenecks, the procurement team can respond quickly.
The Azure AI Platform as the technical foundation for additional use cases
AI-powered supplier evaluation is the first use case for the Azure AI Platform. We are designing the platform as a central, reusable technical foundation.
On the Azure AI Platform, additional AI use cases (such as knowledge assistance and process automation) can be quickly developed and integrated. In addition, a wide variety of AI models can be connected via a gateway such as LiteLLM.
By integrating structured and unstructured data from various sources, data silos can be incorporated into the Azure AI Platform
Security, governance, and compliance with company-wide standards were priorities from the very beginning, supported by Azure-native features and Entra ID.
The AI assistant provides our purchasing department with a shared knowledge base. It’s the perfect starting point for searching worldwide for the suppliers best suited to each production site and product group. This strengthens ifm’s global procurement capabilities. New employees can use it to conduct targeted searches right away. Subjective experience no longer influences the search for suppliers. Data that was previously scattered across ERP systems or fragmented databases is now consolidated here.
Unsere Referenzen & Projekte
Eine Referenz sagt mehr als 1.000 Worte. Zum Glück haben wir davon Dutzende. Klicken Sie sich durch eine Auswahl unserer spannendsten Projekte und überzeugen Sie sich selbst!
-
About the Monitoring ReferenceA New Approach to Workplace Safety: Live Monitoring and Management of Gas Detectors in the CloudCybersecurityEmbedded Systems & RoboticsIoTAbout the Monitoring ReferenceCloud Platform for Live Monitoring and Management of Mobile Gas Detectors
About the Monitoring ReferenceCloud-native microservices, IoT gateway, scalable Kubernetes backend (Azure)
About the Monitoring ReferenceReal-time alerts worldwide in under 10 seconds, 140,000+ devices
-
To the LEW referenceLechwerke: Brand4Future - Digital platform for the brand presenceDigital Design/UX DesignEnergyTo the LEW referenceRenewal of the digital brand presence for LEW, ÜWK & LVN
To the LEW referenceMulti-brand design system, headless CMS (Umbraco Cloud) & Next.js frontend, UX concept, uniform information architecture, usability tests
To the LEW referenceConsistent brand presence, efficient content maintenance, short loading times, better SEO visibility & accessibility
-
To the BMW referenceVirtualization of software testing for control units in the AWS cloudCloudEmbedded Systems & RoboticsQuality EngineeringTo the BMW referenceDigital twin for control unit development & testing in cars
To the BMW referenceVirtualization of control units & AWS cloud integration
To the BMW referenceSetup of virtual cars & control units without expensive hardware setups, worldwide & distributed testing
-
To the referenceOrganizational Development and Team BuildingIT Consulting & StrategyBanking/Insurance/FSITo the referenceEstablishment of a Group-wide Organizational Unit for Enterprise and IT Architecture
To the referenceTeam building through workshops, retreats, and gamification formats (SAFe)
To the referenceGrowth from 4 to over 30 members; three chapter teams, now firmly established
-
To the WIRKSTATT referenceWIRKSTATT: Business Intelligence for the sales forceCloudData/Data PlatformsAppsTo the WIRKSTATT referenceAggregation of internal customer data & external data in a single web application
To the WIRKSTATT referenceData bundling & analysis with Amazon Bedrock
To the WIRKSTATT referenceIntuitive user interface for sales, 88% reduced preparation time before customer visits
-
To the MAN referenceMAN - ATLAS L4. Control Center for the autonomous truckCloudData/Data PlatformsAppsTo the MAN referenceControl center for the technical monitoring of driverless trucks
To the MAN referenceUX design, product strategy, data structure, vehicle data visualization
To the MAN referenceMonitoring, remote support, mission management, reports for commercial autonomous transport solutions
-
For referenceInsurance: Enterprise Architecture ManagementBanking/Insurance/FSIIT Consulting & StrategyIT ModernizationFor referenceA Future-Ready IT Infrastructure for an Insurance Group
For referenceAs-is analysis down to the code level, target architecture by business domain, transformation roadmap, rapid development methodology, formation of the EAM team
For referenceA clear vision for each subject area, a specific EAM maturity level, transparent investment requirements, and sustainable team structures
-
To the NOW referenceNOW: National Organization for Change in Mobility: development of a data warehouse systemCloudData/Data PlatformsIT Consulting & StrategyTo the NOW referenceData foundation for nationwide charging infrastructure in Germany
To the NOW referenceCloud data warehouse for integration & analysis of many diverse data sources (AWS)
To the NOW referenceSolid architecture, single point of truth ensures data-based evaluation of charging station demand
-
To the NETZSCH referenceNETZSCH: Development of an IoT platformCloudData/Data PlatformsIoTTo the NETZSCH referenceUnified IoT platform for 3 business units, harmonization of existing IoT solutions
To the NETZSCH referenceIoT device connectivity, visualization software for data analysis, cloud infrastructure, operations
To the NETZSCH referenceQuick testing in the cloud infrastructure, fast integration of use cases such as predictive maintenance, process optimizations, etc.
-
To the OroraTech referenceOroraTech - Security & Compliance SupportCloudCybersecurityIT Consulting & StrategyTo the OroraTech referenceRisk threat analyses for satellite startup
To the OroraTech referenceSecurity process definition, IT security risk register, action plan
To the OroraTech referenceFuture-proof IT security for successful growth
-
To the TKE referenceTK Elevator: Health Check Connectivity for the IoT gateway of elevatorsCybersecurityIoTEmbedded Systems & RoboticsTo the TKE referenceIoT gateway (MAX Box) for data connection between elevator & IoT platform
To the TKE referenceExamination of code quality, architecture, operations & organization
To the TKE referenceOptimization of IoT gateway connectivity & digitalization of elevators
-
To inCTRL referenceinCTRL Solutions: Modernization of the IoT platform for water treatment plantsCloudIoTIT ModernizationTo inCTRL referenceIoT & software modernization, integration of new functions
To inCTRL referenceData warehouse setup, integration of microservices, automated quality assurance, Continuous Integration & Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)
To inCTRL referenceImproved resilience, maintainability & further development capability of the platform
-
To the TÜV Nord referenceTÜV NORD: IT system for damage assessmentsData/Data PlatformsWeb & Portal PlatformsBanking/Insurance/FSITo the TÜV Nord referenceHolistic, flexible IT system to support expert assessors
To the TÜV Nord referenceDigitalization of the inspection & damage process from order creation to invoicing
To the TÜV Nord referenceMore efficient creation & billing of damage assessments & vehicle valuations, at least 2 days time savings
-
To the Mixed Reality referenceUniversity Medicine Frankfurt - Mixed reality for the training of doctorsDigital Design/UX DesignAppsEmbedded Systems & RoboticsTo the Mixed Reality referenceKnee training simulator for technology-supported medical education
To the Mixed Reality referenceMixed reality application combined with a haptic knee model, interactive training environment
To the Mixed Reality referenceDiagnostics on the human knee without simulated patients, simulation of various pathologies, real-time visualization of motion sequences
-
To the Health.exe referenceHealth.exe: AI-supported platform creates training plans for patientsCloudData/Data PlatformsAppsTo the Health.exe referenceAI-supported service for orthopedic & sports medicine practices
To the Health.exe referenceCloud-based web application for doctors for the automated, evidence-based creation of individually tailored patient training plans
To the Health.exe referenceNew revenue source without fixed costs, higher patient retention, AI-supported & guideline-based
-
See robotics referenceResearch: AI-supported robotics for employees with physical limitationsEmbedded Systems & RoboticsIndustry 4.0ManufacturingSee robotics referenceCustomized assistance robots for people with physical disabilities in production
See robotics referenceIntegration of AI for automated adaptation of robots to people's capabilities
See robotics referenceEffective empowerment of people with physical disabilities
-
See MAN referenceMAN: Efficient threat analysis for control unitsCybersecurityIoTEmbedded Systems & RoboticsSee MAN referenceProtection of digitalized trucks against virtual attacks
See MAN referenceRisk analysis based on 4x6 methodology, ThreatSea, ISO21434
See MAN referenceQuick identification of relevant threats for immediately effective security measures
-
See Siemens referenceSiemens: AI demand prediction platform for industrial production planningCloudData/Data PlatformsIndustry 4.0See Siemens referenceMachine learning for time series forecasting
See Siemens referenceAutoML for automated adaptation of models to different data
See Siemens referenceUnified, scalable solution, optimized inventory costs, efficiency gains
-
See TÜV NORD referenceTÜV NORD GPT: Development of AI assistanceAppsWeb & Portal PlatformsPublic/AdministrationSee TÜV NORD referenceSecure operation of AI in the European MS Azure cloud environment
See TÜV NORD referenceFrontend & backend via MS Azure App, "Chat with your PDF" for TÜV employees
See TÜV NORD referenceQuick implementation of new technologies (AI), strengthening knowledge management
-
See Schöck Bauteile referenceSchöck components: Improvement of the requirements processIT Consulting & StrategyQuality EngineeringIT ModernizationSee Schöck Bauteile referenceImproved dimensioning software for the construction of load-bearing building components
See Schöck Bauteile referenceNew digital design approach, UX concepts, UI designs, user-centered focus
See Schöck Bauteile referenceHigher user satisfaction, better software with less effort
-
See VW referenceVW: Digitization of key production figures with the iProcess appData/Data PlatformsAppsIndustry 4.0See VW referenceReplacement of analog, error-prone activities with a digital app solution
See VW referenceDigital design, cloud-native technologies, UX concept, UI design, front- & backend
See VW referenceMore transparency in production processes, higher production OEE, across plants
-
See referenceApple Vision Pro for city plannersDigital Design/UX DesignData/Data PlatformsAppsSee referenceImmersive 3D visualization of complex energy data on the Apple Vision Pro
See referenceAugmented reality, spatial computing, 3D map with detailed data & KPIs
See referenceFoundation for intuitive understanding of energy scenarios & well-informed decisions
-
See Miele referenceMiele domestic appliances are networked worldwideCloudIoTEmbedded Systems & RoboticsSee Miele referenceFurther development of the IoT platform for connected home appliances
See Miele referenceContainer-based architecture, open standards, modular design
See Miele referenceQuick availability & scalability of digital services, high added value for users
-
See BMW Group referenceBMW Group: Replacement of a production-critical legacy systemIT Consulting & StrategyIT ModernizationManufacturingSee BMW Group referenceIT modernization, replacement of a 20-year-old legacy system
See BMW Group referenceStep-by-step migration to a modern, flexible architecture & platform
See BMW Group referenceHigh stability & reliability, long-term scalability
-
See BMW referenceMixed reality: driving a real car in a virtual worldDigital Design/UX DesignAppsEmbedded Systems & RoboticsSee BMW referenceExperience a futuristic outdoor environment in the headset while inside a real vehicle interior
See BMW referenceReal-time 3D application, Unreal development, XR technology, game design, smart devices
See BMW referenceHigh-performance processing of vehicle signals for precise motion mapping for an immersive driving experience without motion sickness
-
See KUKA referenceKUKA: Web interface for a new Human Machine InterfaceDigital Design/UX DesignEmbedded Systems & RoboticsWeb & Portal PlatformsSee KUKA referenceEasy & intuitive web UI for product control
See KUKA referenceDevelopment of HMI components & modules using Scrum
See KUKA referenceHigh user-friendliness, reliable operation, fast scalability & extensibility
-
See STIHL referenceSTIHL: Control iMOW robotic mower via appCloudAppsIoTSee STIHL referenceControl and configuration of the robotic mower via smartphone
See STIHL referenceDevelopment of app, web, cloud platform and direct Bluetooth communication
See STIHL referenceDigital benefits for users, app controllability, remote software updates
-
See ifm services referenceifm services: Remote maintenance of systems and machinesCloudIoTEmbedded Systems & RoboticsSee ifm services referenceFully integrated remote access in the IoT platform
See ifm services referenceFull stack cloud application, RUST-based clients, UX design
See ifm services referenceAnalysis of sensor data from production as a basis for sustainable decisions for customers
-
See DER Touristik referenceDER Touristik Online: Development and migration of a multi-client capable travel booking platformCloudWeb & Portal PlatformsIT ScalingSee DER Touristik referenceConsolidation of websites onto a scalable travel booking platform
See DER Touristik referenceMulti-tenant platform in microservice architecture, cloud infrastructure & migration (AWS), digital design, testing
See DER Touristik referenceModern user experience, forward-looking travel experience platform
-
See MAN referenceMAN: Secure Software Development Life CycleCybersecurityIT Consulting & StrategyQuality EngineeringSee MAN referenceProtection of digitalized vehicles against virtual attacks & digital threats
See MAN referenceSSDLC in vehicle backend systems (UNECE R155), cybersecurity management system
See MAN referenceGuidelines, methodologies & tools for independent risk identification, assessment & treatment by employees
-
See Bayernwerk referenceBayernwerk: Knowledge management via teamsCloudIT Consulting & StrategyIT ModernizationSee Bayernwerk referenceTeams app for service technicians
See Bayernwerk referenceUser-centered, intuitive UX/UI design
See Bayernwerk referenceIdentification & utilization of implicit knowledge within the company
-
See Es geht LOS referenceEs geht LOS: Development of a cloud-based application for citizen participationCloudAppsWeb & Portal PlatformsSee Es geht LOS referenceApp for digitalizing lottery-based participation processes for municipalities
See Es geht LOS referenceDigital Garage, AWS Amplify & Google Maps integration, MVP in just 5 weeks
See Es geht LOS referenceSelection, contact & user management via the app: data-secure, efficient, user-friendly
-
See referencePlanning systems: Optimizing the capacity utilization of pressing plantsData/Data PlatformsIndustry 4.0ManufacturingSee referenceCentralized planning of component manufacturing for cost- & resource-optimized production capacity worldwide
See referenceConversion from local processing with fat clients to a client-server application, migration to the cloud
See referenceData-based planning & calculation of different manufacturing scenarios & site-specific production costs
-
See referenceGlobal workforce planning systemCloudData/Data PlatformsPublic/AdministrationSee referenceCentralized web-based IT system to replace individual isolated solutions
See referenceEvent sourcing for planning & analytics, domain-driven design, cloud migration
See referenceEasy updates, expansion, maintenance, optimized security
-
See DER Touristik referenceDER Touristik: Become a digital travel companion in 7 monthsCloudAppsWeb & Portal PlatformsSee DER Touristik referenceApp for digital customer support before, during & after the trip
See DER Touristik referenceCross-platform app with Flutter, UX/UI design, requirements engineering
See DER Touristik referenceArchitecture flexibly integrates and extends to many languages, countries & brands
-
See KUKA referenceKUKA: UI/UX design for an app for load data analysis for industrial robotsDigital Design/UX DesignData/Data PlatformsAppsSee KUKA referenceWeb app to replace legacy systems for easier interaction between users & system
See KUKA referenceConversion from local processing with fat clients to a client-server application & migration to the cloud
See KUKA referenceData-based planning & calculation of different manufacturing scenarios & site-specific production costs
-
See DEKRA referenceDEKRA: Modern enterprise architecture thanks to co-creationCloudIT Consulting & StrategyIT ModernizationSee DEKRA referenceOperational & technical harmonization of the legacy IT landscape
See DEKRA referenceEnterprise architecture as co-creation by the lead architects of all IT business units
See DEKRA referenceEA community worldwide for all operational units
-
See BMW Group referenceBMW Group: Remote software upgrade for vehiclesCloudCybersecurityIoTSee BMW Group referenceSoftware upgrades without the need to visit a service center
See BMW Group referenceBackend system for over-the-air communication with the vehicle, 24/7 support
See BMW Group referenceIT security, more comfort, on-demand provision of new features
-
See referenceA data platform for the Azure Cloud in the energy sectorCloudData/Data PlatformsIT Consulting & StrategySee referenceData-based information for planning & implementing the climate transition for the public sector & energy providers
See referenceScalable foundation data platform on MS Azure for migrating & automating differently formatted geo-data into a structured data schema
See referenceQuality-checked data, provision in the form of the target data model, robust, scalable database & infrastructure
-
See Creditreform referenceCreditreform: Secure proof of identity on the webCybersecurityWeb & Portal PlatformsBanking/Insurance/FSISee Creditreform referenceFast, customer-friendly & fraud-proof digital identity verification
See Creditreform referencePilot for the forgery-proof storage & management of identity & company information in a Decentralized Identity (DID)
See Creditreform referenceVerified data reusable across different providers
-
See SMA referenceSMA: Development of a Web UI for ennexOS platformDigital Design/UX DesignIoTWeb & Portal PlatformsSee SMA referenceCreation of a unified customer experience across all products, smooth generational transition for customers, secure, agile operation
See SMA referenceWebUI for the digitalization & automation of energy management processes, open-source solution for energy flow visualization
See SMA referenceEnergy flow & cost optimization, operational reliability, customer-friendliness
-
See Weidmüller referenceWeidmüller: Progression of the Industrial Service PlatformCloudIoTWeb & Portal PlatformsSee Weidmüller referenceCreation of a centralized, intuitive, expandable portal as the foundation for industrial applications (remote access, data visualization, ML)
See Weidmüller referenceExploration, setup & further development of the base platform for industrial services
See Weidmüller referenceInnovative portal for end-to-end solutions, MVP in just 7 months
-
See BMW Group referenceBMW Group: Virtual reality brings vehicle design to lifeDigital Design/UX DesignAppsVR/ARSee BMW Group referenceUnified platform for AR, VR & 3D real-time use cases: from planning to manufacturing
See BMW Group referenceDesign & virtual product experience, plugin-based process support
See BMW Group referenceVehicle experience already at an early stage, location-independent, cross-functional collaboration on the virtual model, savings on hardware prototypes
-
To the FinOps referenceTravel information systems: 25 percent savings in cloud costs and stable operation thanks to FinOpsCloudIT Consulting & StrategyWeb & Portal PlatformsTo the FinOps referenceAlignment of the distributed travel information system with many data sources & target groups on the AWS cloud
To the FinOps referenceFinOps: cost transparency, cloud strategy, system & architecture design, usage-based operating times, early anomaly detection
To the FinOps referenceCost transparency at team level, lean operating processes, robust observability
-
To the FinOps referenceSupply chain management: Reducing cloud operating costs by 50 percent with FinOpsCloudData/Data PlatformsIT Consulting & StrategyTo the FinOps referenceReduction of costs caused by over-dimensioning & manual processes, establishment of transparency
To the FinOps referenceTargeted process modernization, automation & rightsizing
To the FinOps referenceAnnual cloud operating cost reduction: 400,000 EUR, scalability, reliability
Warum MaibornWolff?
Als einer der innovativsten IT-Dienstleister mit großer Leidenschaft für KI konzentrieren wir uns vollständig auf das Projektgeschäft und individuelle Software-Entwicklung – ohne eigene Produkte. Um an der Spitze zu bleiben, investieren wir kontinuierlich in unser Team aus Digital Technology Engineers und entwickeln digitale Lösungen, die durchdacht, effizient und auf das Wesentliche reduziert sind.
Unser Grundsatz: Simplizität statt Komplexität. Wir entwickeln nur, was wirklich gebraucht wird – maßgeschneidert, nutzbringend und zuverlässig. Unsere Ergebnisse sprechen für sich. Mit über 800 Großsystemen und mehr als 10.000 Personenjahren Erfahrung im High-End-Software-Engineering zählen wir zu den wenigen, die selbst größte und komplexeste IT-Landschaften zuverlässig realisieren. Dank enger Partnerschaften mit führenden Hyperscalern betreiben unsere Kunden ihre Lösungen in den modernsten und leistungsfähigsten Umgebungen der Gegenwart.
Less Technology. Better Business.