De Nora is an Italian multinational company and the world’s largest supplier of high-performing electrode technologies for major industrial electrochemical processes. It is also a leading supplier of proprietary technologies for water disinfection and filtration. De Nora is committed to developing innovative solutions enabling the energy transition and the green hydrogen economy and ensuring sustainable clean water for everyone. The De Nora group consists of 25 companies in 10 countries and operates 5 R&D centers in Italy, the United States, and Japan.
In 2013 De Nora sought to standardise the standard business process across its entities, implementing SAP technology as the main lever and a means to create a harmonised business framework to facilitate growth.
De Nora’s SAP Global Template solution was initially built on SAP ECC. In its journey towards continuous improvement, De Nora launched with Capgemini the ‘DNA program – Movement to X/4HANA Suite’, planning the updating of all SAP systems used in De Nora group to the latest releases so that all De Nora companies could respond better to changing market conditions and maximise the benefit of the group’s investment in the most recent SAP technology.
During the last few years, De Nora and Capgemini completed the brownfield conversion from ECC to SAP S/4HANA 1809 (managed in SAP Cloud – HEC), C/4HANA (now ‘SAP Customer Experience’ suite), the greenfield implementation of SAC (SAP Analytics Cloud) reporting on SAP Cloud, and the relevant end-user training to ease change management. In addition, De Nora moved to BW4 and BPC11, also implementing Analysis for Office (AFO).
De Nora and Capgemini’s relationship is based on the principle of learning from each other: Capgemini understands and embraces the De Nora way, while, at the same time, De Nora allows to be guided in the setup of SAP features. Their long-standing, trust-based
relationship includes:
• 20+ companies already live on the De Nora SAP system,
• 25+ Capgemini consultants actively supporting De Nora in new SAP rollout projects, SAP solution enhancements, and Application Maintenance
• 12+ SAP rollouts performed since 2014
• 900+ active De Nora SAP users.
De Nora and Capgemini demonstrated the power of their partnership in April 2020 as they reached the handover stage of the SAP S/4HANA transformation. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic striking at the planned handover time, the two organizations continued to go live with this strategically important objective as initially planned.
During the conversion, Capgemini offered its expertise in SAP technology by encouraging S/4 Data Migration Cockpit as an accelerator and main migration tool for all subsequent rollouts.
Lessons learned
“The technical complexity of the S/4HANA transformation cannot be underestimated. Even though the ECC system was clean, stable, and updated to EHP8, we faced several technical and functional issues. To overcome them, we proposed new customisations and involved SAP AG, who recognised the value of including some of these changes in the standard version.” Giuseppe Vitolo, SAP S/4 HANA Project Manager, Capgemini Italy.
“The success of the project testimonies the partnership between De Nora, Capgemini and SAP. It also shows De Nora and Capgemini’s appreciation for proper planning SAP rollout and application projects within a sustainable framework that satisfies the business, end-users, and the ICT Department.” Gerardo Ciccone, Head of “Automotive, Manufacturing and Life Sciences, Capgemini Italy.
“If our migration were an animal, it would be a horse. Elegant, confident, fast, and agile. In the future, our horse will grow wings and transform into a unicorn!” Bianca Madotta, head of applications, De Nora.
