Supply Chain Management with Catena-X

The automotive industry relies heavily on globally networked supply chains and is exposed to volatile market conditions. Fluctuating demand, supplier bottlenecks, and a lack of transparency across the value chain frequently result in delivery delays, production stoppages, and increased costs. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular often lack the digital tools needed to proactively manage and align supply capacities with demand.

Insufficient traceability of parts, materials, and production steps further complicates root cause analysis in the event of disruptions. To build resilient production and supply networks, companies require continuous digital information flow ‒ secure, standardized, and interoperable.

Catena-X provides a standardized, interoperable data ecosystem that enables cross-industry alignment of demand and capacity ‒ in real time, based on validated data, while preserving data sovereignty.

With the Demand & Capacity Management Kit for example, Catena-X offers tools that allow OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and downstream partners to efficiently exchange and synchronize their demand forecasts and available production capacities. The result is robust, predictable supply chains ‒ even during volatile phases.

Simultaneously, Catena-X enables end-to-end traceability of components, materials, and processes across the entire supply chain. Through the use of digital twins and standardized data models, components can be uniquely identified—from raw material source to finished product.

Thanks to the modular and scalable architecture of the Catena-X ecosystem, SMEs also benefit from its solutions. With minimal integration effort, systems can be connected to transparently communicate current capacities, track material flows, or manage recall campaigns efficiently. This enables true partnerships on equal footing ‒ regardless of company size or IT maturity.

Users looking to acquire a ready-made solution can find it on the Cofinity-X Marketplace.

Here’s a preview of currently Catena-X certified solutions for Demand and Capacity (as of January 2025):