Transforming BMW sustainability operations with AWS and Catena-X (BIZ219)

Transitioning the Automotive Industry with AWS and Catena-X

Introduction to AWS Supply Chain

  • AWS Supply Chain is a cloud-based supply chain management application that aims to help companies make their supply chains more resilient and react to unexpected disruptions in supply and demand.
  • The service was developed in response to the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, where factories were shutting down, transportation networks were disrupted, and supply chain visibility was limited.
  • Key features of AWS Supply Chain include:
    • Providing accurate and up-to-date visibility of the entire supply chain data by automatically creating a supply chain data lake.
    • Identifying and contextualizing inventory risks, and recommending mitigation strategies.
    • Automating demand forecasting and supply planning to remove guesswork and manual effort.
    • Securely and efficiently managing the collection of sustainability data across the supply chain.

Automotive Industry Challenges and Catena-X

  • The automotive supply chain is global, with multiple tiers of suppliers, and faces challenges in areas like traceability, sustainability, and data sharing.
  • BMW's efforts to build its own partner platform failed, as suppliers were hesitant to use a system specific to one OEM.
  • The industry recognized the need for an interoperable, open, and collaborative approach to addressing these challenges.
  • This led to the creation of Catena-X, an industry coalition focused on building shared industry protocols and data services that can be reused across the ecosystem.
  • Catena-X is built on open source software, with the goal of enabling data exchange between OEMs, suppliers, and other stakeholders while maintaining data sovereignty.
  • The initiative has grown to include over 190 partners from various industries, with regional hubs being established to support the global nature of the supply chains.

AWS Supply Chain and Catena-X Integration

  • Automotive suppliers today face a manual, time-consuming, and error-prone process to exchange sustainability data with OEMs like BMW.
  • AWS Supply Chain is announcing integration with the Catena-X initiative, providing a streamlined and standardized way for suppliers to share data with OEMs.
  • The solution allows suppliers to easily upload and share data, such as certificates and product carbon footprint, with the Catena-X network, without the need for complex IT setup.
  • The data exchange is secure, standardized, and automated, reducing the time and effort required for suppliers to comply with data requests from multiple OEMs.
  • The integration between AWS Supply Chain and Catena-X is a step towards enabling end-to-end supply chain visibility, collaboration, and sustainability in the automotive industry.

Roadmap and Next Steps

  • In early 2025, AWS Supply Chain will launch capabilities to exchange company certificates and electronic control unit data with automakers for a limited set of suppliers.
  • In the following months, the solution will be made generally available across all automotive suppliers, and product carbon footprint and traceability data exchange will be added.
  • The AWS and Catena-X teams are open to feedback and interested in engaging with companies who want to participate in the beta or provide input on the ongoing development.

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