Interreg

Final for the INTERREG project “GEP digital

The German-Dutch project “GEP (borderless, efficient, productive) digital” has been successfully completed. Until 30 August 2021, a total of 46 small and medium-sized enterprises in the Dutch-German border area of the EUREGIO have taken advantage of the project offers of GEP digital for process visualisation and process optimisation.

The focus of the INTERREG-funded project was to familiarise interested SMEs from various sectors with the graphical visualisation method BPMN2. Following the training, which was specially designed for this project, the participating companies were able to take advantage of individual coaching by the Dutch project partner Vosteq from Almelo and have their own sub-process examined for optimisation approaches and redesigned.

Due to Corona, “GEP digital” was extended twice at no cost and the concept for the originally planned face-to-face training courses was converted into a suitable webinar form by the Dutch project partner STODT from Enschede. Due to the pandemic, some of the coaching sessions also had to be conducted in digital form. In terms of content, the project was extended to include the innovative topic of “Quick Response Manufacturing” (QRM) as a management method for shortening lead times.

In addition to the training and coaching, the binational exchange of experience between the partner companies was also an important part of the cross-border project. In view of the approaching end of the project, the Münster Chamber of Skilled Crafts as lead partner of GEP digital organised a two-hour binational virtual exchange of experience on 1 July 2021 together with its partners – which also included the district of Grafschaft Bentheim – before the start of the summer holidays. The well-attended online event was used to exchange retrospective information about the project offers and to touch on exciting new topics for the future.

As the main person responsible, Thomas Melchert, Deputy Managing Director of the Münster Chamber of Skilled Crafts and Small Businesses, emphasised that process efficiency is important for all businesses and that BPMN2 has proven to be a very good “tool” as a method for process visualisation. On behalf of the Dutch consultancy Vosteq, Willem Lenselink pointed out that ERP optimisation, including selection and implementation, as well as optimisation of the production plan and overall better utilisation of existing capacities were among the main consulting topics in the coaching sessions.

The GEP digital project has been supported since September 2019 with around 200,000 euros from INTERREG V funding.

An evaluation in the form of a final report was prepared and published at www.netzwerk-gep.de and www.netzwerk-gep.nl.

To project (external link)