Votorantim has just completed an important stage in the renovation of its ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) platform, which will allow for a more efficient use of large masses of data (Big Data), with the use of a new SAP platform, SAP S/4 HANA.
With 44 thousand employees and operating in more than 20 countries, Votorantim has the largest integrated SAP system in the Brazilian market, with 13 thousand users, being one of the company's largest customers in the country.
The process of implementing the SAP system at Votorantim began in 2005, with the Integra Project, which placed information from all Votorantim companies in a single base. “Before that, each of the companies used a different ERP, with separate infrastructures. The integration made it possible to optimize and rationalize the potential of all areas”, says Eduardo Rey, general manager of Infrastructure at Votorantim's IT Competence Center.
Innovation with SAP S/4 HANA
The new SAP S/4 HANA platform is a business management solution in which all information processing in organizations' business areas is performed in real time. “By adopting this innovative SAP technology, Votorantim takes an important step towards being even more prepared for the new market demand, of digital transformation”, says Rebecca Pascuas, vice president of Manufacturing Sales at SAP Brazil.
Faster access to information for system users is already seen as an advantage by Votorantim. With SAP S/4HANA, you can define more effective business strategies and measure their impact on business performance; it will also be possible to simulate scenarios that are currently impossible to trace using the crossing of customer data or market behavior.
The first stage for the implementation of SAP S/4 HANA will be completed in the first half of 2016, with the installation of new machines. The current memory capacity of 2.3 Tb, in Power7 technology, will increase to 32 Tb with Power8 technology. The machines are IBM, another long-time partner of Votorantim, which follows the evolution of ERP. The migration will happen gradually in the months following the installation.
“To manage massive amounts of data, it is essential to have an IT infrastructure that allows you to run all your analytic workloads efficiently. IBM Power8 was built from the ground up for Big Data and Analytics environments. The combination of Power8 with SAP HANA gives Votorantim the technology the company needs to support its business growth and expansion plans, with the highest levels of speed, stability and security”, comments Anibal Strianese, Director of Server Solutions of IBM Latin America.
The deployment of the SAP solution will be completed by the first quarter of 2017. Once the effort is complete, the company will begin the deployment of S4/HANA that will bring even more functionality.
Accelerating data intelligence and information management expands Votorantim's competitive advantage, enabling the generation of complex reports and analysis in reduced time. “We will be one of the first Brazilian companies prepared for SAP S4/HANA. This will even help us to improve the fraud prevention system”, explains Rey. “The most important thing is that all this evolution is preparing the company for the future”, he adds.
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