Interview
"We create transparency, from the global level down to the shop floor."
Experte: André Nowak | 03/10/2025 | Teilen auf in
Torsten Brauer, Chief Architect for Database Systems at Disy Informationssysteme GmbH in Karlsruhe, is a specialist in Location Intelligence. By leveraging geospatial data, he enables companies to make better decisions – particularly in areas such as site analysis, sales strategy, and supply chain security.
Mr. Brauer, how can manufacturing companies use geographic data and analytics to better understand patterns, trends, and interdependencies? And how do you support your customers in this process?
Torsten Brauer: Many companies treat Business Intelligence and Location Intelligence, integrating spatial dimensions into data analysis, as separate disciplines. On one side, there are market-leading BI tools such as Power BI, while on the other, traditional GIS systems like ArcGIS and open-source solutions such as QGIS dominate. Each of these tools has its strengths within its specific domain. However, when it comes to analyzing spatial KPIs across an entire enterprise, traditional tools quickly reach their limits. We help our clients consolidate their business data in a meaningful way and enhance it with geographic insights, bridging the gap between these two worlds. Unlike specialized solutions, our approach ensures complete end-to-end transparency, from the global level and country-specific metrics down to the shop floor. This enables companies to make data-driven decisions with a holistic perspective.
Since our founding in 1997, we initially grew in the public administration sector. However, demand for our software and services has steadily increased in the industrial sector as well. At the core of our solutions is the data analytics software Disy Cadenza. In addition, we provide tools, mechanisms, and AI-driven methods to collect and analyze relevant data. This allows customers to gain deeper insights into their business operations and make more informed decisions. For example, we enable seamless analysis of the entire value chain, as well as optimization of supply chains and spatial sales planning.
Please give us examples from customer projects.
TB: A typical use case is location analysis: One of our retail clients is currently facing the challenge of optimizing its store network. Management needs to decide which locations to close and how to adjust product assortments. Instead of relying solely on traditional retail KPIs such as profit margins and inventory levels, we incorporate geospatial data and additional insights, including online sales performance, into the evaluation. For example, online sales tend to be higher in areas where a physical store exists. This is often due to the brand’s local presence, which increases brand awareness, or because customers prefer to shop online in the evening rather than visit a store during the day.
Since online purchases include data on who ordered and where the packages were delivered, we can analyze which stores indirectly benefit from online sales and how closely local purchases are linked to physical retail locations. This leads to a more accurate store performance assessment than simply looking at in-store sales figures. In many cases, we also observe that some stores perform better than expected based on the socio-economic data of their surrounding areas. One possible reason could be the opening of a charging station for electric vehicles nearby, where customers use the charging time to shop. By integrating these factors, our approach provides a solid foundation for strategic location planning.
The same principles apply to sales optimization. For a leading manufacturer of integrated solar energy systems, we combine specialized geospatial data with public information from the Federal Network Agency and census data. This allows us to identify high-performing sales regions, understand key success factors, and assess future market potential in terms of land availability and product demand. As a result, the company can refine its sales strategy, launch targeted regional campaigns, equip sales teams with data-driven insights, and ultimately maximize sales potential.
Geopolitical uncertainties and unstable supply chains present significant challenges for the industry, can Location Intelligence help mitigate these risks?
TB: We believe that Location Intelligence will become an increasingly important tool for early trend detection and strategic decision-making. To ensure supply chain resilience, companies must continuously assess transport routes and local production conditions. Otherwise, critical issues at specific locations are often only identified when the situation has already escalated.
Our solutions enable automated site assessments that incorporate geopolitical and national risks, evolving security conditions, and infrastructure developments. This allows companies to proactively identify and evaluate strategic risks and take early action, such as diversifying suppliers or making alternative investment decisions, before disruptions occur.
Can you give us a brief preview of your presentation at the INDUSTRIAL FUTURE DAY 2025? What can participants expect?
TB: First, I will demonstrate why spatial data is essential for understanding business processes from a global scale down to the production line, enabling more accurate forecasting. We will conduct a live demonstration to show how specific business questions can be answered using our tools. Finally, I will explore additional applications of Location Intelligence, such as integrating it into CRM systems for enhanced decision-making.
