SAP Solutions for the High Tech Industry
Introduction
The High Tech industry operates in one of the most fast-paced and innovation-driven environments in the global economy. As product life cycles shorten, customer expectations rise, and sustainability regulations increase, High Tech companies must find new ways to stay competitive, agile, and resilient.
SAP addresses these demands by providing end-to-end capabilities for transforming core operations—ranging from product innovation and supply chain orchestration to customer engagement and recurring revenue models. Whether adapting to XaaS (Everything-as-a-Service) models or navigating global disruptions, SAP enables High Tech companies to future-proof their businesses by embracing data-driven intelligence, real-time collaboration, and sustainable growth strategies.
SAP’s Five Strategic Value Areas in High Tech
- Disruptive Innovation
SAP accelerates the journey from idea to market through solutions that support:
- Integrated product development
- Digital engineering
- Advanced variant configuration
- Customer-Centric Growth
SAP enables personalized customer experiences across digital and physical channels. Tools like:
- Customer Data Cloud
- Subscription Billing
- AI-driven churn prediction
- Resilient Operations
SAP helps companies gain end-to-end supply chain visibility and risk mitigation. These solutions enable:
- Multi-tier supplier collaboration
- Demand-driven forecasting
- Automated order orchestration
- Sustainable Revenue Streams
With embedded analytics and automation, SAP supports:
- Recurring revenue models
- Usage- and outcome-based billing
- Emissions tracking and compliance
- AI-Embedded Intelligence
SAP applications to automate workflows, generate real-time insights, and assist decision-making. Examples include:
- Predictive risk alerts in supply chain
- AI-generated financial commentary
- Smart onboarding and role-based training
SAP Customer Successes in the High Tech Industry
Let's look at how SAP solutions have revolutionized businesses in the High Tech Industry, as shared by various customer testimonials.
Hitachi High-Tech: Driving Agile Innovation Through Cloud-Based ERP Transformation
Challenge:
Hitachi High-Tech faced operational inflexibility due to over 9,000 customizations in its legacy SAP ERP system, hindering rapid adaptation to evolving business conditions.
Solution:
- Implemented a two-tier SAP S/4HANA Cloud model—private edition for domestic operations and public edition for international offices.
- Adopted a "fit-to-standard" approach, minimizing customizations by aligning business processes with standard SAP functionalities.
- Utilized SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) for side-by-side development, creating 98 essential extensions without altering core system code.
- Integrated various systems, including CRM, manufacturing execution, warehouse management, and electronic data interchange, through SAP BTP.
Outcome:
- Achieved a 94% reduction in customization footprint, decreasing from over 9,000 to just 22 core modifications.
- Accelerated solution update handling by 18 times, enabling faster implementation of new features.
- Eliminated 100% of on-site maintenance requirements, enhancing operational efficiency.
- Established a scalable and secure ERP environment capable of swiftly adapting to market changes and supporting future innovations.
By transitioning to a modern, cloud-based ERP system and embracing standardized processes, Hitachi High-Tech significantly enhanced its agility, operational efficiency, and readiness for future technological advancements.
Interested in learning more about Hitachi High-Tech’s journey with SAP? Please visit https://www.sap.com/uk/asset/dynamic/2023/07/d237f8b9-7e7e-0010-bca6-c68f7e60039b.html
CEV Technologies: Enabling New Business Models for Customers Using E-Mobility Software
Challenge:
Limited flexibility in deploying scalable EV charging infrastructure and integrating payment and management solutions with customer-specific business models across industries like retail, hospitality, and fleet management.
Solution:
- Formed a strategic partnership with SAP to co-develop e-mobility solutions tailored for various business needs.
- Implemented SAP E-Mobility (part of SAP’s industry cloud portfolio) to manage EV infrastructure, with native integration to SAP S/4HANA and SAP ERP.
- Created value-added charging scenarios through integrations with loyalty programs, smart energy services, and backend finance systems.
- Simplified rollout with reusable charger templates and backend charger setup tools.
Outcome:
- Achieved a 30% reduction in effort to set up charge point back-end systems and tripled onboarding speed using charger templates.
- Enabled over 20% faster deployment of charging stations.
- Opened new revenue opportunities and business models for clients by integrating EV solutions with existing business operations
CEV Technologies’ partnership with SAP empowers it to drive innovation in e-mobility through scalable, integrated, and user-focused charging solutions for global B2B and B2C clients.
Interested in learning more about CEV Technology’s journey with SAP? Please visit https://www.sap.com/uk/about/customer-stories.html?tag=industry%3Adiscrete-industries%2Fhigh-tech&pdf-asset=8a2b7944-957e-0010-bca6-c68f7e60039b&page=2
Advantech: Enabling an Intelligent Planet Through Advancements in Industrial IoT Technologies
Challenge:
Facing rapid business growth and expanding into new verticals such as solar power and pollution management, Advantech struggled with complex inventory management, slow financial consolidation, and an outdated ERP system that hindered timely, data-driven decision-making.
Solution:
- Migrated to SAP S/4HANA with support from SAP Advanced Deployment services, completing a global rollout across 100+ sites during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Leveraged the in-memory SAP HANA database to speed up data processing and improve decision-making accuracy.
- Streamlined financial processes by consolidating cost settlements in a single global system.
- Improved visibility into inventory and operations with real-time reporting and automation.
Outcome:
- Reduced inventory and cost analysis time by 75%, and improved inventory visibility from 16 hours to just 4.
- Achieved a 70% improvement in efficiency for comprehensive inventory status and accelerated monthly financial consolidation by 3–4 days.
- Lowered IT costs through a simplified system landscape, enabling faster decision-making and increased operational agility.
By upgrading to SAP S/4HANA, Advantech gained a robust digital foundation that supports its mission to enable an intelligent planet while navigating complex industrial and environmental challenges.
Interested in learning more about Advantech’s journey with SAP? Please visit https://www.sap.com/uk/about/customer-stories.html?tag=industry%3Adiscrete-industries%2Fhigh-tech&pdf-asset=6e5deadf-367e-0010-bca6-c68f7e60039b&page=1
