There are diverse projects for IT focusing on operations optimization, better management and innovation, more agile systems, and the constant search for continuous improvement in the user experience of Ternium Argentina. In this interview, Eugenio Maranghello, IT Senior Director, reviews the most distinguished initiatives.
Maranghello runs a meeting with part of the IT team.
Which are the current main challenges?
We are still focusing on systems that provide a safer and more sustainable Ternium. We keep strongly supporting the accident prevention work with video analytics, digitalization of probable risk analysis (PRA), a new automated CO2 management, and adding functionalities to the SIASSO to secure the registry and management of safety and environmental matters.
We also intensified Safety camera implementation, tools that have become essential for plant management. In the industrial area, regarding predictive maintenance, we are training steel mill models, hot rollers, platings, and sinter. These will allow us to reduce operational interruptions and improve the management of line stops. The project joins the new “Maintenance Central,” whose development is underway. Its objective is to concentrate all team alerts in a single place, prioritizing and addressing them. The idea is that ‘all critical equipment alerts are taken care of by the correct personnel. ’”
We are also developing a Logistics Central, in conjunction with the Supply Chain team, which considers models that allow optimization in loads, travels, and automation of all logistics instructions to achieve coordination with the highest efficiency possible as well as to obtain a logistic situation status in real time of everything that is happening in the facilities.
After the Costs project (SIC), we recently launched the SAP S/4 HANA project with a 40 million investment. In the following two years and a half, we will be migrating our SAP platform to its later version available in the cloud, including better performance and a new user experience. While also adding new functionalities and processes optimizations such as Management, MRO, Contractor Management, Certification and Freight Payment, System Costs, and Maintenance process improvements.
He also mentioned the development of the Logistic and Human Resources Chatbots, which will be multiplied this year, the Administrative Robots (RPAs) that have been implemented in different areas to simplify and automate the repetitive work of people, and the different initiatives made to keep strengthening Ternium University.
Industrial System Monitoring Center at Ternium
How does IT contribute to the process of offering better customer service?
We added more than 50 functionalities to the web service and commercial processes platform during the last exercise. We keep that line of thought by adding functionalities while focusing on developing a new order acceptance process: a more intelligent and automated one that will let us be more efficient. I also want to mention that in collaboration with the Quality area, we are focused on making indicator generation processes more automated.
What other priorities are you interested in mentioning?
I would like to acknowledge the adaptation capabilities shown by team Ternium and the members of the contractor companies that accompany us, facing operative changes and business dynamics as they happen, as well as the capability to anticipate and prevent potential inconveniences that might arise during the development of the projects. An example of this is our support for the hybrid work scheme, for which the IT team guarantees you will get the best resources available.