Schweizerische Südostbahn AG: SAP EWM puts warehouse logistics on track
The Treno Gottardo long-distance line and the Voralpen-Express from St. Gallen to Lucerne are among the most beautiful train connections in Switzerland. Both lines are operated by Schweizerische Südostbahn AG (SOB) with its own rolling stock. To maintain and repair the vehicles and individual components, there are two service centers with their own warehouses in Samstagern (Canton of Zurich) and Herisau (Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden). As part of the large-scale SOB project “Digital Maintenance and Logistics”, LOGSOL was awarded the contract for the sub-project “SAP S/4HANA EWM Implementation for the Digitalization of Logistics Processes” in a Europe-wide tender. Carsten Gutmann, expert for Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) at LOGSOL, explains why complex warehouse control is an important factor: “Logistics plays a central role for SOB in the maintenance and supply of its locations, for example in the provision of materials for workshops, warehouse logistics, repair processes, and the support of third-party customer business.”
Complex task: Integrating two warehouse locations
Since the project began in April 2025, the certified SAP Consultant has been traveling to Switzerland for workshops. For Volker Stähle, Project Manager for Digitalization in the SOB transport division, it is “important that we have a local contact person”. He appreciates the “high level of professionalism” of the three LOGSOL specialists who are working on progress monitoring and project management. The task is complex because two warehouse locations have to be coordinated. The EWM integrated in SAP S/4HANA is intended to reliably steer the goods flows of the internal SOB customer, maintenance, toward the future. In doing so, overlaps with other subprojects must be taken into account, and adjacent SAP modules such as quality or maintenance must be integrated with the EWM.
From screws to complete paneling, individual train parts are stored in the SOB service centers. “While the warehouse in Samstagern is concentrated in one location, the one in Herisau covers a much larger area along the railway line,” explains Stähle. Different working methods need to be standardized. Carsten Gutmann finds it exciting to be able to “design processes” to optimize logistics. In the future, warehouse staff will be able to use mobile scanners to make storage, retrieval, and picking easier.
Careful requirements analysis for process design
In the first phase of the project, LOGSOL worked with the customer to identify all actual and target processes. “A careful requirements analysis creates the basis for defining target processes with SAP EWM,” emphasizes Gutmann. The process design takes into account goods receipt, internal transport, repairs, third-party customer business, among other things. “We benefit from the fact that the experts bring experience from other projects,” says Stähle. He believes that the technical support for configuration and customization adds value.
At the end of June, the team reached a milestone with its concept for future physical and system-related processes in SAP EWM. “We are now in the implementation phase,” says Gutmann. In the subsequent training, employees will be involved on site before a test phase follows, with the aim of going live in the first half of 2026. Until then, LOGSOL will support change management.