- Success Story
Global Efficiency Implemented Locally: The SAP Success Story of ContiTech
How ContiTech Revolutionized SAP Systems with MHP to Optimize Business Processes
ContiTech, one of the three business divisions of Continental, is a leading provider of development and materials expertise for a wide range of products and systems made of rubber, plastic, metal, and fabric for various industries.
At the heart of the company's digitalization strategy is SAP software, a crucial component that not only streamlines and optimizes business processes but also sustainably strengthens ContiTech's position as a trusted global industry partner. For this reason, MHP has been a long-standing partner of ContiTech since 2017, providing comprehensive Application Management Services (AMS) for all SAP systems.
Application Management Services (AMS) are services that encompass the continuous maintenance, optimization, and support of applications and software systems in companies.
This success story highlights the strategic partnership, seamless implementation, and impressive outcomes of MHP´s SAP support services for ContiTech. MHP, with its expertise in AMS, has enabled ContiTech to streamline and transform its business processes, ensuring long-term success with SAP.
Efficiency and Expertise in the Maintenance and Development of the SAP Landscape
ContiTech faced a challenge when it came to supporting its global SAP landscape: The IT services previously outsourced to a company in Asia did not meet internal quality requirements. ContiTech aimed to enhance service efficiency by selecting a service provider based in Germany and nearshore. Their preference for local expertise and proximity was a key reason for choosing MHP.
The decision to outsource was motivated by two factors. Firstly, ContiTech lacked the resources to provide global support for its systems without external assistance. Secondly, the company sought a partner with both technical expertise and in-depth sector knowledge, as well as comprehensive industry know-how.
“Our in-depth knowledge of the industry and our ability to offer tailor-made solutions were decisive factors in ContiTech's decision to work with us. We are proud that we not only meet their expectations, but regularly exceed them.”
Frank Völlmecke
Head of Automotive Supplier bei MHP
“Our team of around 50 experts in Romania plays a central role in the support and further development of SAP systems for ContiTech. This collaboration demonstrates how we use our expertise and commitment to achieve significant improvements for our customers.”
Bernd Otto Hörmann
CEO MHP Consulting Romania
Key to Success: The Strategic Alignment of SAP Support Towards Local Expertise
The MHP approach to supporting the SAP systems at ContiTech is based on local expertise for specialized SAP system solutions. Fast response times and efficient communication in the support and maintenance of the SAP systems can be guaranteed by a team that is largely based in Romania.
For specialized tasks, especially in the area of incident management, MHP also relies on experts from India for ContiTech. This global set-up enables MHP to respond to inquiries and incidents around the clock and guarantee a high quality of service.
Another central component of the approach is cooperation with the ContiTech Competence Center. Through regular exchange and close coordination, solutions are developed that not only adhere to SAP standards but are also tailored to the specific needs and requirements of key users at ContiTech. This integrated approach ensures that the SAP systems not only function flawlessly from a technical point of view, but are also optimally aligned with ContiTech's business processes.
ContiTech's Competence Center consists of a team of experts who, due to their proximity to the business unit, can offer key users concrete advice on projects. These projects are then often implemented by MHP. Additionally, the Competence Center supports key users with restructuring and M&As, often collaborating with MHP on implementation.
"The longstanding collaboration with MHP has significantly enhanced the support of our SAP systems in a partnership with our ContiTech Competence Center. The MHP team has assisted us in optimizing our operational processes. One of their hallmarks is their swift response to our requirements without compromising service quality. This partnership between the Competence Center, key users, and MHP is based on trust and a deep understanding of ContiTech's business fields, contributing significantly to our competitiveness."
Frank Sündermann
Head of Competence Center Supply Chain and ERP Services at ContiTech
The Implementation of Support: Round-The-Clock Expertise and Efficiency
In order to implement the jointly developed strategy for SAP support at ContiTech, comprehensive 24/5 support was offered for all SAP systems, which means that support is available around the clock, five days a week. This includes ITIL support for a large number of SAP modules as well as EDI support, which ensures the efficient management of IT services in accordance with internationally recognized standards.
“EDI support” refers to the support and management of Electronic Data Interchange using the ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) framework. This includes adherence to ITIL-based best practices and processes for the efficient management of EDI systems and services. ContiTech uses two different systems for its EDI: SAP, PI/PO and TSIM. Both systems are supported and further developed by MHP via the ITIL processes and projects.
Regular coordination between the MHP support team and the ContiTech Competence Center allows for the discussion of current challenges and solutions, the planning of new SAP systems, and the further development of existing systems.
In addition, MHP supports ContiTech in major projects such as various reorganization measures and the rollout of SAP HANA (an in-memory database and data processing platform that enables fast data analysis and real-time applications in companies).
These projects require close cooperation and coordination. This ensures that the new systems and processes seamlessly integrate into the existing SAP landscape and create added value for the company.
Satisfied Users: The Primary Goal and the Greatest Project Success
The primary goal of the collaboration was to increase user satisfaction in the specialist departments. This was to be achieved by improving service quality and continuously optimizing business processes. Given the challenge of managing 13 globally distributed SAP systems, this collaboration represents a comprehensive and demanding task.
Regular surveys of key users, evaluating both MHP's services and the internal Competence Center, measure the satisfaction of the specialist departments. The survey results consistently reflect a high level of satisfaction with MHP. The five-year contract extension without a tender is a clear sign of trust and appreciation.
This long-term partnership has enabled MHP not only to ensure ongoing operations but also to effectively support the development of ContiTech's global SAP landscape.
The Facts Speak for Themselves: A Successful Partnership Between Contitech and MHP
- High user satisfaction
- Consistent compliance with service level agreements (SLAs)
- Expertise in operations and project collaboration
The collaboration between ContiTech and MHP shows how crucial integrated support for projects and operational processes is. The approach developed can serve as a model for the entire automotive and manufacturing industry by showing how efficiency and innovation can be harmonized.
“Our collaboration with ContiTech underscores the importance of specialized SAP system solutions. MHP combines a deep understanding of the industry with customized SAP strategies to deliver operational excellence to our customers.”
Frank Völlmecke, Head of Automotive Supplier at MHP
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