Further growth for EDI in Austria: ‘In modern business, the automated exchange of messages – Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) – has become an indispensable link. Only flexible software solutions that are stable and reliable are good enough for this.´ (Florian Winkler, the managing director of TWZ Vertriebsgesellschaft m.b.H)

1. Text Cees Steijger ~ Photography TWZ
BUSINESS INTEGRATION
Further growth
for EDI in Austria
‘In modern business, the automated exchange of messages – Electronic Data
Interchange (EDI) – has become an indispensable link. Only flexible
software solutions that are stable and reliable are good enough for this.´
S
o says Florian Winkler, the Christian, who founded TWZ in 1987. From the very valued by our custom-
managing director of TWZ start, TWZ focused on EDI, and later on e-commerce. ers,” says Florian. The
Vertriebsgesellschaft m.b.H, At that time, electronic data interchange was already TIE Messaging Portal is
the fast-growing EDI specialist based pretty well established but it really took flight with used mostly by TWZ’s
in Seekirchen in Austria. EDI has now the advent of the Internet in the nineteen-nineties. larger customers. “The
been TWZ’s core business for more That Christian Winkler was ahead of his time shows Messaging Portal is a
than twenty years. At TWZ, a small in the rapid growth of the company, which also now very stable EDI product
team of five specialists serves no less does business with customers in Germany as well as with a programmable
than 300 customers throughout the with small and large customers in Austria itself. “Our browser interface and
entire country, including familiar strength lies in specialisation,” says Christian fully enables you to use
names such as Unilever Austria, Sony Winkler. “We offer the entire range of electronic data the EDI application as a
DADC Austria, Boehringer Ingelheim, interchange, including the implementation of server application.”
Porsche Infromatik and many others. conversion and communication software, developing
TWZ works out of a futuristic, interfaces between existing Enterprise Resource Plan- Extra require-
inspiring office - an architectural ning (ERP) systems and, of course, ments TWZ sees
‘Flexibility
landmark that looks out over the valley cooperating with the ERP supplier. the EDI market in
of the beautiful Salzburger Seenland Because of our 100% specialisation in Austria continuing to
and is only fifteen minutes by car from EDI, we have built up considerable grow. In order to
Salzburg, the city of Mozart. The knowledge and experience over the is the basis maintain its leading
contrast between this natural decor years and we’re now generally seen as position in this growth
of tranquillity and space and TWZ’s
high-tech business could not be greater.
the EDI leader in Austria.”
TWZ’s specialisation in EDI has
of our market, TWZ has
focused mainly on
Ahead of his time We spoke to
also resulted in an excellent reputation
as a partner with suppliers of ERP
cooperation innovation. And this is
also a necessary move
Florian Winkler and his father systems. “We invest a lot in the
relationship with ERP software
with TIE’ because the market is
developing rapidly. The
suppliers that now want to carry out way of doing business
large-scale projects in collaboration and the method of operating are changing,
with us,” says Florian Winkler. “We mostly due to the influence of the Internet.
can do that because we are able to For example, take electronic invoicing,
implement state-of-the-art EDI which is also making rapid advances in
software that’s tailored exactly to Austria. The Austrian Tax Department is
specific ERP projects. This flexibility imposing extra requirements for this
is also the basis of our cooperation method of invoicing. For example, a closed
with TIE Kinetix, which dates back network must be used for EDI and the
to 1994.” invoice must have an advanced electronic
Originally TWZ exclusively used signature or other way of guaranteeing
the TIE Quickstart solution for all that the invoice is authentic. The EDI
small and medium-sized customers. provider must supply this. “We have to
Since the beginning of 2010, all TWZ’s continue to innovate,” says Florian. “And
customers have received TIE’s new we’re happy that our partner TIE actively
SmartStart solution. “This EDI anticipates changes and enables us to be
software is very advanced and provides always ready to satisfy the requirements
a fantastic user interface that is highly set for modern EDI.”
P14 ~ 2011 ~ TIE