CP Corporate Planning AG - Controlling, Controlling Software, Consolidation, Risk Management

Case study

Full power

The sun provides us with an inexhaustible supply of energy. To enable us to utilise this natural resource efficiently, Solar-Fabrik AG manufactures solar modules. To optimise its own "corporate energy", it uses Corporate Planner.

As a consequence of the group's consistent growth and international focus, the Excel analyses which were used before no longer had the clarity needed for financial and cost controlling. The task of managing and efficiently processing the increasing amounts of data was becoming more and more time-consuming. The data of three overseas subsidiary companies had to be recorded, analysed and put into graphic form without delay. This is why Solar-Fabrik AG made its decision in December 2005 to replace the Excel spreadsheets with Corporate Planner. The company's continuing economic success is thus secured on the basis of high technology and a reliable controlling tool.

Making more efficient use of what is available

Sunlight is transformed directly into electrical energy by means of photovoltaics. A large number of households, businesses and local authorities use Solar-Fabrik AG modules to generate electricity, and therefore have access to an independent and environmentally friendly power supply. The core elements in this process are solar power modules, commonly known as solar panels. These are responsible for the efficient utilisation and transmission of solar power.

Factory building in Freiburg –
Europe's first zero emissions
manufacturing facility

Quality inspection of laminates
during production

A similar process takes place at the Solar-Fabrik AG headquarters in Freiburg in Breisgau, Germany. Four members of staff in the Controlling and Accounts departments work with Corporate Planner on a daily basis. This is where the information and data of the international subsidiary companies are merged and analysed. Different languages and currencies can be handled with no trouble at all: the subsidiary companies communicate in English and use US dollars and Singapore dollars as their currencies. In Freiburg, the data each subsidiary provides in Excel format are imported to Corporate Planner straight away and exported again equally quickly.

Impressive functionality

The Controlling department uses all these data to carry out variance analyses, to manage the planning of the group activities and to prepare all the reports which the executive and supervisory boards require.

The logical tree structure and straightforward navigation make it much easier to fulfil the various controlling demands. As Martin Schlenk, economist and Investor Relations Manager at Solar-Fabrik AG, says, "What convinced me was the variety of functions in Corporate Planner, and above all how useful they are. Budget-Actual comparisons must be completed as quickly as possible and displayed graphically. With this tool, I have all of the analyses I need – literally just a click away! This program is extremely user-friendly, and that too is why we decided in favour of it."

Corporate Planner is a standardised software application – but highly flexible at the same time. Solar-Fabrik AG, for instance, has adapted two of its functions to company-specific requirements: the subsidiary company data and respective cash flow plans are passed to the group automatically, and the trial balance lists are likewise transferred in an automated process.

Martin Schlenk,
Investor Relations
Manager
Solar-Fabrik AG

Releasing the energy
Six days in total were required by Solar-Fabrik AG for the implementation of the controlling software and for training. For three days, the employees received training from CP consultants on the premises. The CP Support and consultancy staff are available in case any further questions arise. According to Martin Schlenk, the objectively measurable advantages of having implemented Corporate Planner are the assured data consistency and the time saved. "We have definitely made a saving of up to two working days per month. This extra capacity can be put to use in other projects and tasks.

Because of this excellent experience, Solar-Fabrik AG is considering the possibility of replacing Excel completely in the medium term, and of implementing Corporate Planner in its subsidiary companies too. Martin Schlenk's verdict after six months of daily use: "The major advantages of Corporate Planner are its simple and efficient operation and its flexibility with respect to the specific requirements of our company. Just as with renewable solar energy, we embarked upon a new course and were looking for an alternative solution – and have now found it."

[back]

Solar-Fabrik AG

Since its formation in 1996, under the direction of company founder Georg Salvamoser, Solar-Fabrik has developed from its origins as purely a maker of solar modules to what is now Europe's leading solar power group.

Together with its international subsidiaries and associates, Solar-Fabrik AG, a listed company, covers every stage in the solar power value chain: wafer trading, wafer recovery, solar cell manufacture, solar module production and complete solar power systems. Approximately 200 employees were able to achieve sales of 51 million Euros in 2005.

The company headquarters are in Freiburg, Germany. In the company’s two manufacturing plants there, solar cells are processed into top-quality solar modules. Solar-Fabrik AG customers include solar energy installation specialists and general importers throughout Europe.

The module production process has received ISO certification and runs entirely on renewable energy, in what is Europe's first CO² neutral zero emissions manufacturing facility.
www.solar-fabrik.com