Why NTT DATA Business Solutions?
- Existing trusting relationship based on prior successful collaboration
- Convincing overall concept and expert project team
- Proven and reliable project methodology of NTT DATA Business Solutions Conversion Factory
In collaboration with NTT DATA Business Solutions, we managed the conversion to SAP S/4HANA without any problems, on time & in budget. We can now concentrate on driving innovation and sustainability and we are well equipped to deal with future IT requirements.
Frank Bauer, VP Digital Technology, Schwan Cosmetics
About the Schwan Cosmetics International GmbH, Germany
Industry: Consumer Goods
Products: Decorative cosmetics
Employees: 2,600 (2021)
Sales: 227.3 million euros (2021)
Website: www.schwancosmetics.com
Challenges, Benefits and Solutions
Challenges
- Impending end of maintenance for the SAP ERP system and need to convert to SAP S/4HANA
- Creation of a future-proof platform for further process requirements and global roll-outs
- Remote project management required due to pandemic
Benefits
- Move to highly efficient, modern IT landscape and technologies plus preparation for global roll-outs
- Transparency in all business processes and real-time analyses to inform strategic decision-making
- Readiness for new and innovative user interfaces (SAP Fiori apps)
- Use of innovations and shorter innovation cycles
Solutions
- Conversion from SAP ECC 6.0 to SAP S/4HANA
- Installation of it.x-press add-on for optimized shipping processes
Precision & Sustainability: SAP® S/4HANA Provides a Great IT Foundation
About the Project
The First Cosmetics Pencil in the World: Schwan Cosmetics
The success story of the long-established Franconian company began in 1927. With the invention of the first make-up pen “Schwan Cosmetics Eyebrow Pencil”, Schwan Cosmetics revolutionized the cosmetics industry, and it is now one of the globally leading manufacturers of cosmetic pencils. The extensive range includes Kajal pencils, lipsticks, lip liners, and eyeliners, among others. Pursuing the highest quality and sustainability standards, Schwan Cosmetics regularly creates innovative highlights and it remains an influential player in decorative cosmetics to this day. At nine locations around the world, some 2,600 employees work on the beauty trends of tomorrow with high levels of customer focus, innovative strength, and creativity. Due to its keen interest in anticipating the future, the company became aware of the looming termination of maintenance support for their SAP ERP system.
Numerous Requirements – One Solution: SAP S/4HANA
The consumer goods industry is facing several long-term challenges. These include the need for the regular development of new products to satisfy customer desires and market trends, impacts on consumer behavior from circumstances to do with the pandemic, as well as raw material shortages and supply chain bottlenecks. Then there are digitalization, innovation, and sustainability, which all pose concrete challenges to a modern IT system landscape. Schwan Cosmetics is now well-placed to deal with these challenges. In collaboration with NTT DATA Business Solutions, the company examined and evaluated the optimization potentials along its value chain. As a result, a clear project goal was established: to improve the system across all business functions and processes, enabling the company to operate with greater sustainability, agility, and flexibility. This covered optimized production flows, production costing, and third-party packaging.
Detailed Planning & Execution: Makeover Successfully Completed
Bundled expertise, speed, and fixed prices: Thanks to the reliable methodology of the Conversion Factory, the conversion was realized without any problems, on time & in budget, and technical challenges such as the business partner conversion were dealt with successfully. Schwan Cosmetics had decided to go for a two-stage conversion. First, the technical system migration and business partner conversion were performed; this was followed by an evaluation of the innovation potential of the new system in innovation workshops and its subsequent realization. The supply chain was optimized as well. A logistics portal was set up, soon to be enhanced with the installation of the it.xpress add-on. This solution facilitates automated shipment processing with the integration of forwarding agents in SAP, resulting in optimized shipping processes. This means that
products can now reach cosmetics (end-)customers around the world even more quickly.
Flawless State-of-the-Art Business Processes
Using modern technologies, SAP S/4HANA automates processes, minimizes effort and expenses, and streamlines workflows along the entire value chain to enhance efficiency. Shorter innovation cycles, a high level of process reliability, and smooth business process flows thus pave the way to sustainable operation and future product innovations.
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