ZF
ZF took on the extensive project of digitalizing the shop floor, starting with the basic building block for more efficient production - shift scheduling.
Intelligent Qualification Planning at Tenowo
Tenowo as a Pioneer in Digital Qualification and Shift Management in the Textile Industry
shyftskills in Use at Tenowo
Tenowo, a global manufacturer of technical nonwovens with over 750 employees across locations in Europe, North America, Mexico, and China, stands for innovation — not only in its products but also in its processes. To address the challenges of skilled labor shortages, increasing efficiency demands, and stringent audit requirements, Tenowo relies on the digital solution shyftskills.
The Challenge: Paperwork, Planning Chaos, and Lack of Transparency
“When an audit was coming up, the big search would begin,” says Christian Strobel, one of the people responsible for production planning at Tenowo. Until recently, qualification management was based on paper files, decentralized Excel spreadsheets, and the tacit knowledge of a few production managers. The result: a lack of transparency, high administrative effort, and a real risk in the event of staff absences or audits.
“We had a rough idea of who was capable of what – but it wasn’t nearly enough for targeted employee development, retraining, or strategic qualification planning.”— Julia Biedermann, HR Tenowo
“We felt well supported right from the start. The solution doesn’t just fit our needs – in some respects, it even exceeds our expectations.”— Christian Strobel, Production Manager Tenowo
The Solution: shyftskills – Intelligent, Transparent, Audit-Ready
With shyftskills, Tenowo has fully digitalized its qualification management. Documents such as certificates and proof of training are stored centrally. Automated reminders ensure that no deadlines are missed. This way, the company is always audit-ready while maintaining a clear overview of qualification gaps, training needs, and employees' development progress.
Cost Savings
An optimal tradeoff between qualification level, availability, and cost boosts productivity while conserving resources. Shift schedules are generated based on qualification data: automatically, quickly, and with the right staff.
Proactive Employee Development
HR can identify development potential early and plan retraining measures with precision.
Audit-Ready at the Push of a Button
Digital records and targeted filtering functions ensure compliance with standards such as ISO 9001 and IATF 16949—without paperwork or last-minute scrambling.
“What I’m most excited about is the clarity – no more paperwork, everything in one place. And shift scheduling at the push of a button – that will make everyday work so much easier.”— Fikret Cakir, Shift Manager Tenowo
The Collaboration: Close Communication and a Strong Partner
The implementation process was supported by dedicated contacts and a two-day workshop in Berlin.
“Why did we choose a cloud-based solution instead of sticking with Excel? Production management clearly signaled to us that qualification management needed to be rethought, and it was immediately clear to us: now is the time for modern software,” explains Christian Strobel.
The Outlook: Staying Future-Proof and an Attractive Employer
With shyftskills, Tenowo is not only creating efficiency, but also gaining strategic advantages in the competition for skilled workers. “We don’t just want to become more productive; we also want to remain a company that offers employees opportunities for development and keeps pace with the demands of the future,” says Julia Biedermann.
