The best of both worlds

ATR International AG, a long-standing automotive parts trade cooperation based in Stuttgart, Germany, perfected its ERP years ago with the help of MAIT. Since then, the IT and software specialists have been supporting ATR in progressively connecting further new systems to the reliable and flexible Comarch ERP software. But ATR wanted even more—the right IT support. And naturally, MAIT was able to deliver.

Sector Wholesale

Region Baden-Wuerttemberg, southern Germany

Company size 27 employees

ATR International AG is the oldest and one of the world's largest trade cooperations for automotive spare parts. Founded in 1967 as Auto-Teile-Ring GmbH, the company also develops concepts for workshop and trade systems all over the world. Today, ATR is represented by 38 shareholders and 281 trading companies in 64 countries. An efficient ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) solution is indispensable in such a complex set-up. Comarch ERP is ideal for this: The sophisticated software components create genuine competitive advantages. That’s why ATR chose Comarch ERP as long ago as 2008—and MAIT as its software partner. By no means by chance. MAIT is one of Comarch's most important and long-standing partners.

Fast-forward ten years, and ATR was looking to optimize its in-house IT. And again, MAIT was able to provide the perfect IT infrastructure for this with "HybrIT". This includes both cloud computing and on-site IT services.

The cloud computing solution is called "MAIT.Cloud" and is extremely secure and reliable. In addition to ERP, ATR has already relocated a number of central processes to the MAIT data center in Pforzheim, including the information portal, the banking software, the time and attendance system, the business intelligence server, storage, and backup. This means that ATR accesses computing power, storage space, and application software via the Internet. Moving to the cloud was quick: Four MAIT employees completed the project within a matter of days, followed by technical and organizational training.

Since then, MAIT has been maintaining and monitoring the ATR systems remotely and is also on call to receive and forward any error alerts.

"For me, MAIT means predictable costs, the latest technology, and continuous operation. The team has impressively demonstrated that it can combine the best of the software and IT worlds."

Wolfgang Menges

Management Board Member for Purchasing and Finance, ATR International AG

The perfect combination of ERP and IT

"The MAIT team impressed us with their all-round service and expertise. Added to this, of course, came the Comarch ERP software, which proved to be the ideal solution for us," says Wolfgang Menges, Management Board member for purchasing and finance at ATR and the main contact in the project from the outset. And indeed, by its very design, Comarch is ideally prepared for use in the cloud.

"Of course, our hybrid model also poses challenges. For instance: Where does on-site IT service begin and where does it end? In the course of their day-to-day work, our IT administrator might be called on to perform tasks that are not included in the framework agreement with the customer. But we're flexible about that. What's important is that the customer is satisfied," says Marc Busse, Expert PreSales Architect at MAIT.

Fast, straightforward, hassle-free. That's what ATR expected from the new constellation—and they weren't disappointed. Wolfgang Menges from ATR also values the continuity in the cooperation. "That creates trust and a sense of belonging. Plus, it's great that we only have to deal with one contract partner for the many different services," he says.

So there's no question about it: MAIT and ATR will continue their partnership. Wolfgang Menges from ATR is probably the one who knows best why and sums it up like this: “For me, MAIT means predictable costs, the latest technology, and continuous operation. The team has impressively demonstrated that it can combine the best of the software and IT worlds.”