Modernising manufacturing operations with SAP S/4HANA Cloud ERP

NRI were selected to support the client’s implementation, which was to be designed and delivered based on a ‘big-bang’ approach, meaning that all relevant legacy systems and processes were replaced by the new SAP Enterprise Applications Suite at the same time.

As part of the implementation, our team at NRI underwent a Discovery Phase to capture the requirements and prepare a scope of works to be delivered. During this initial phase, the client’s requirements were defined by the following key attributes:

SAP S/4 HANA Cloud ERP

The new cloud ERP must cater for all users across the client’s core business functions, including Financial Management, Procurement, Asset Management and Maintenance, Plant Operations, Environment, Health and Safety, Sales and Marketing, Shipping, IT, and Human Resources, with the ability to scale up as required.

Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS)

Improved EHS management was a key goal, with the system required to:

1. 1. 1. • Support the statutory requirements for consultation when drafting or reviewing EHS documents and procedures by automatically tracking and sending reminders for due dates and progress reports to stakeholders involved in EHS processes.
         • Uplift the communication and visibility of matters relating to safety information by enabling efficient access to important information with notifications sent to relevant stakeholders when new information is published.
         • Support site wide processes for workers to report hazards and track corrective actions.
         • Support the management of inventory of chemicals across the organisation’s operations.
         • Track workers compensation claims and return-to-work programs for affected employees.
         • Support the monitoring of hygiene management and provide the ability to collate data from testing and trials.
         • Provide a digital risk register to enable effective monitoring of site wide risks across multiple devices.
         • Facilitate the governance and regulatory reporting requirements by extracting and processing data from government regulatory reporting platforms.
         • Enable the effective analysis of incidents, injury and hazard data.

Human Resource Information System

The client’s requirements had elements of HR embedded across various scope areas, and required enhanced functionality that would be delivered through the implementation of SAP SuccessFactors applications which included:

1. 1. 1. • SAP SuccessFactors – Employee Central for visibility and governance across people and transactions, and to serve as a single repository for employees and to support compliance needs for the client’s local regulatory obligations.
         • SAP SuccessFactors – Learning to enable the culture of continuous and relevant learning to support employee skill development and reduce compliance risk.

Integration between SAP and existing applications

With several legacy systems retained, a seamless integration between these systems and the new SAP systems was a key requirement. For this purpose, SAP’s Integration Suite was used to design and implement integrations between SAP to SAP, and SAP to non-SAP scenarios.

In addition, multiple legal entities were also included within the scope of the implementation.

As an experienced SAP partner, we used SAP’s Activate Methodology to implement the client’s new ERP solution and applications.

Following subsequent project phases including a 5 week ‘Explore’ phase used to perform a fit-to-standard analysis to validate the solution functionality with the business requirements, and a longer ‘Realise’ phase to build and test, we deployed the new solution successfully over a course of 3 weeks.

For the client, implementing SAP forms part of a broader strategy and program to modernise its IT infrastructure and applications, and whilst the new solution is still in its infancy with further adoption planned, all performance metrics point towards the realisation of sustained lower inventory costs, reduced billing process times, and lower total cost of operations thanks to the centralisation, streamlining, and automation of processes throughout its key business functions.

Today, the organisation operates with greater business agility thanks to improved visibility across its operations, and a single source of truth across its Australian entities. As a result, decisions are now based on real-time information, whether it be related to resource capability, material inventory, machinery maintenance and downtime, or health and safety, enabling the business to respond faster and meet its stringent regulatory compliance and reporting requirements.