At S+D METALS, digital efficiency has replaced endless rows of paper files. Together with Canon and KCI Group, we implemented a tailor-made workflow that combines innovative hardware with intelligent document management software – creating faster, more secure and future-proof processes across our international operations.
Digital Transformation in the Metals Industry
At S+D METALS, one of Europe’s leading stockholders of high-performance materials, digitalisation is more than a buzzword – it is a necessity. Serving industries such as aerospace, medical technology, automotive, motorcycle, and energy, the company handles vast volumes of sensitive documents across multiple sites.
For decades, files filled metres of archive shelves. Now, thanks to Canon hardware, the Therefore™ DMS and uniFLOW Online, implemented by our partner KCI Group in Hamburg, those paper mountains are a thing of the past.
From paper archives to real-time access
Previously, documents had to be scanned, emailed, and manually archived – a time-consuming process that slowed down workflows.
“Retrieving older orders, for example to resend an invoice, could take hours,” recalls Thorsten Kühle, Order Processing & Workflow Management at S+D METALS. “Today, it only takes seconds.”
The international structure of S+D METALS made it essential to create digital workflows accessible across locations. The new system ensures that all authorised employees have real-time access to documents – securely and transparently.
The Canon & KCI solution
The digitalisation project began with a huge challenge: a 15-metre-long wall of files from just one business year, plus over 25,000 documents in total. The KCI team, including Jan Braun (Sales) and Frank Dembach (Information Management & Development), designed a structured process to scan, index, and archive these records efficiently.
Canon’s high-speed scanners, combined with uniFLOW Online for intelligent processing and the Therefore™ DMS for secure storage, now form a seamless unit. Text recognition, automatic separation of multi-page files, and revision-proof archiving ensure compliance and efficiency.
A balance of digital and analogue workflows
Not every step in the metals industry can be fully digital. In the warehouse, for example, protective equipment makes computer use impractical. Here, analogue documents are still used – but integrated into the digital archive via QR-code scanning.
This hybrid approach allows employees to continue using familiar processes while benefiting from smart digitalisation. “It was important to us to design solutions together with our teams, not impose them from above,” explains Dembach.
More transparency and efficiency in operations
Beyond digital archiving, the new system also improved operational planning. Orders can now be assigned directly from Therefore™ to weighing stations in the warehouse, where teams of two employees process materials by weight. A dashboard displays order status and team workload in real time – ensuring transparency, balanced capacity, and increased employee satisfaction.
Result: Slimmer processes, stronger teamwork
Today, S+D METALS benefits from:
For S+D METALS, the project was never about creating a paperless office – but about working smarter with less paper. With KCI and Canon, we achieved a solution that combines efficiency, security, and usability – a true success story in digital transformation.