Catena-X:
Key to the digital future of the automotive industry

Digitally networked together: Catena-X as an opportunity for the supply chain.

In the automotive industry, the Catena-X initiative continues to be regarded as a central building block for the future of the sector. With the aim of integrating 1,000 companies into the network by the end of 2025, Catena-X is currently focussing on key use cases such as business partner management, product carbon footprint (PCF), demand and capacity management, digital product passport, parts traceability and quality.

The initiative is currently being driven mainly by OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. However, in order to reach a critical mass, more companies from the supply chain need to be won over to the Catena-X topic. The persistent reluctance on the part of these companies can be explained, among other things, by the sometimes challenging structural and regulatory barriers to entry. The current, sometimes unstable economic situation is also contributing to this.

To counteract these problems, OEMs are increasing the pressure on their suppliers to focus on Catena-X for upcoming investments in IT infrastructure, processes and IT solutions. The establishment of international Catena-X hubs is driving the increasing internationalisation of the initiative, which is particularly relevant for globally active companies in the automotive sector.  There is currently a great deal of activity in Asian markets such as China and Japan.

Even after three years, we at msg still see Catena-X as a strategically important topic that will continue to move the international automotive industry in the future. With the new German government's continued support for Industry 4.0 and Manufacturing-X, the importance of data ecosystems will continue to grow in the coming years. Under the umbrella of Manufacturing-X, further X initiatives are currently being formed for other industries, which are building their solutions on the basis of Catena-X. Catena-X has officially assumed the status of a lighthouse project in Manufacturing-X.

As an independent consulting company, msg supports participants in the automotive supply chain with their entry, the selection of suitable use cases and the implementation and integration of suitable IT solutions. As a member of the Catena-X Association, msg is always informed about the latest developments and will continue to focus on this topic in the future in order to provide customers with the best possible support in the introduction and implementation of Catena-X.