Transparency and efficiency with master data management

A new approach to creating value with data

Konecranes needed a new solution for managing Konecranes customer and supplier master data. Their existing system could no longer meet the company’s ambitious goals related to process efficiency, automation, transparency and the development of a digital Konecranes experience. The legacy platform was also reaching the end of its lifecycle.

While modern technology was a requirement, it wasn’t the central focus. Instead, Konecranes prioritised transforming its processes. Significant changes had already been made across the company, and the goal was to fully leverage those previous investments.

“Changing the processes has been a critical part of the project. We wanted end users to have access to the data they work with and intuitive and efficient processes. The implementation is ongoing and already 85 % of our users, which is close to 300 Konecranes employees all over the world, are utilizing new technology and process, and more is yet to come” explains Almir Tokalic, Director, Company & Contact MDM at Konecranes.

Konecranes operates in 50 countries and has nearly 17,000 employees. 

Strong leadership commitment made a difference

The project had a tight but well-planned schedule. A new system was rolled out to replace critical functions in just six months. The most challenging aspect was the project’s complexity – the MDM tool had to be integrated with a wide range of operational systems, like ERP and CRM.

“A project of this scale requires a great deal of proactiveness, detailed planning, and stakeholder involvement. Testing and involving the right people are key. It’s also essential that leadership understands the project’s value and gives the green light and the correct priority to the project” says Almir Tokalic.

To ensure long-term maintainability and continuity, these aspects were built in from the start.

“Maintainability isn’t something you fix later – it needs to be designed into the solution from day one. How does error handling work, how is monitoring set up, how is automation implemented, and what architectural principles do we support? As business needs evolve, we add new features and optimizations without compromising stability,” says Liisa Hiltunen, Service Manager at Solita. 

A globally advanced end-to-end perspective

The project’s broad end-to-end approach stands out even on an international scale. Many companies still see master data management too narrowly – focusing solely on governance rather than the full data lifecycle.

“We rarely hear people talk about a true lifecycle approach. We wanted to take ownership of data from the very beginning and build the process around that. We strive to understand how data is created and bring users as close to the data as possible,” explains Almir Tokalic. 

A partner that understands the bigger picture

Before launching the project, Konecranes engaged in discussions with several vendors. From the start, they emphasized that the initiative was not just about technology, but about understanding the data’s origins and transforming how it’s used.

The chosen technology – Semarchy – needed to be capable, but above all, flexible enough to serve Konecranes’s business needs.

“We didn’t care too much what consultancy companies or different studies had to say in terms what is the best MDM system. We cared about what would work for us. Solita earned our trust – they genuinely wanted to understand our business and our needs,” says Almir Tokalic.

“With Solita, it never felt like we had to re-explain things over and over. They understood us right away, and the discussions were business-driven from the beginning. The team was also flexible throughout the project and never questioned our ambitious goals,” adds Teemu Huhtala, Platform Manager at Konecranes.

Customer and supplier data is critical for business operations – almost every transaction is utilizing data from this domain in one way or another.

“Unfortunately, many companies neglect the maintenance of this data, even though it’s absolutely core to their business. At Konecranes, the importance of this information is understood. We wish that were the case everywhere,” the Solita team reflects. 

Transparency across the board 

The biggest outcome of the project has been significantly increased process and data transparency. Communication between stakeholders is smoother, and employees now better understand what their role and responsibility is. 

From a business perspective, one of the most valuable improvements is process efficiency and reduction of manual task that were prone to mistakes. Additionally global MDM team can now follow and gather data from the process itself. They can track how things are done in different units in different countries, identify top performers, and spot problem areas. This insight can be used to improve operations globally.

“We’re now able to make impactful improvements and better support our end users. Making their work easier and faster has an enormous impact. This isn’t just about a few MDM experts – it benefits everyone,” Almir Tokalic explains. 

End-user experience in focus 

Konecranes’s approach to master data has fundamentally shifted. The company now puts the end-user perspective first. 

“Our processes are much more transparent. We can now easily identify unnecessary steps – for example, we’re phasing out ticketing,” says Teemu Huhtala. 

User feedback has been positive. Because changes were designed with users in mind, there has been no real resistance to the new system. Countries that have implemented the solution find it logical and valuable and are eager to use the new process and the system.

Even though the project is still ongoing, the cost savings that the project aimed at it aimed for have already been achieved. Project is already seen as a success and because Konecranes now has the agility to further develop and experiment, new targets have already been set, and project scope widen.

Start with process, not technology 

What advice would Konecranes give to companies looking to modernize their master data management? 

“The most important thing is to understand your own business before you begin. You need to know what you want to achieve. What works today, and what doesn’t? What changes do you want to make? Only when you have a solid understanding of your processes should you begin thinking about tools and technology – otherwise, you’re bound to fail,” says Almir Tokalic. 

“Master data development is a journey without a final destination – it’s continuous. Our own journey toward centralized master data management started over 15 years ago and now we are just taking it to another level,” Almir Tokalic adds. 

The new master data solution, running on Microsoft Azure, is maintained by Solita. 

All images copyright ©Konecranes