Empowering R&D: How innoscripta guided Rhenus Logistics to successful Research Allowance Funding

Meet Rhenus Logistics

With more than 100 years of expertise, Rhenus is a globally leading company offering innovative and sustainable services in the logistics industry. The company operates in more than 70 countries, with 1,330 sites, and their workforce consists of 41,000 employees. Rhenus provides customised and holistic logistics and supply chain services, from warehousing and transport to other value-added services for multiple industries.

Rhenus functions with five core values: customer-focused solutions, employee orientation, entrepreneurial spirit, integrity, and continuity, which guide them in every aspect of business. As a global company with an annual turnover of 8.2 billion euros, Rhenus' excellence is reinforced by internationally recognised certifications, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 27001, and ISO 50001. With their futuristic vision, Rhenus rethinks global logistics and promotes innovation by creating intelligent and responsible logistics solutions worldwide.

The Challenge

The main hurdles Rhenus faced in proceeding with the plan to seek research allowance included:

Difficulties arising due to limited insight into the programme, project eligibility, and demanding documentation obligations:

In the initial stage, Rhenus faced challenges in pursuing the research allowance due to limited knowledge about the programme and the financial benefits it can generate for R&D projects. This uncertainty made it difficult for them to analyse the eligibility of their projects and its costs. In addition, the application stipulates comprehensive documentation in compliance with the specified guidelines. This stage proved challenging for Rhenus, as they lacked prior experience with the programme’s documentation requirements.

The difficulty of managing uncoordinated applications and the risk of exceeding group-wide maximum assessment basis:

As a corporate group with multiple companies, Rhenus Logistics experienced challenges in internal coordination in the research allowance application process. Cases where individual companies applied for research grants while other companies within the group were unaware of this reduced visibility and increased the risk of exceeding the maximum assessment base, jeopardising potential approval by the funding authority.

The Solution

“With the help of the innoscripta software platform, we were able to map out all the details of our projects within the system, ensuring full audit compliance.”

A structured and results-oriented solution that streamlined the process and enabled centralised internal communication:

innoscripta provided end-to-end support by guiding Rhenus throughout the research allowance process from the very first stage of R&D project assessment to audit-proof documentation. Through innoscripta's software platform, all R&D information and costs were recorded, ensuring centralised coordination and informed decision-making.

In the situation of the shared maximum assessment basis of R&D expenses, innoscripta established a centralised system to oversee all R&D initiatives and funding applications in order to prevent exceeding the allowable limit of the claim. In addition, innoscripta also helped Rhenus in efficiently handling an initial rejection of Rhenus’ own application.

The Impact

Measurable results through approved funding, faster processes and enhanced group-wide coordination:

The collaboration with innoscripta generated both, immediate and long-term values for Rhenus Logistics. The most remarkable result was the successful research allowance application, which led to funding - including for the project where the first application was previously rejected. innoscripta's expertise in the process combined with the software platform made the process accurate and swift.

Enhanced group-wide transparency in claiming the research allowance for different qualified projects, prevention of overlaps in the applications and centralised oversight about the maximum assessment basis were the additional, long-term impacts innoscripta was able to develop for Rhenus.

Conclusion

The collaboration with innoscripta helped Rhenus to empower their R&D by acquiring financial support that fuels the drive for continued innovation. Rhenus intends to pursue a continued partnership with innoscripta.

“Thanks to both the technical and personal guidance, we can recommend innoscripta to any company looking to sustainably foster innovation.”