Case Study: Tecan Trading AG – How Centrix Safeguarded SAP Operations During a Comprehensive S/4HANA Transformation

Client

Tecan – A global manufacturer of laboratory instruments and automation solutions.

The Challenge

An SAP S/4HANA transformation is much more than an IT project. It changes processes, draws heavily on internal expertise and demands the full attention of the company’s leading specialists. This was precisely the situation Tecan faced: while its SAP team focused on building the future S/4HANA landscape, the existing system had to continue running reliably every day. Production, sales, procurement, logistics, customer relationship management, field service management and financial processes could not wait. Every unresolved error and delayed ticket could add further pressure to an already stretched team.

The Solution

This is where Centrix Consulting came in. As a trusted extension of Tecan’s SAP team, Centrix took responsibility for functional SAP support. Incoming tickets were handled directly within the existing ITSM system, with error analysis and service requests consistently followed through. For the internal team, this meant having the capacity to focus on the transformation while keeping day-to-day operations on track.

Support covered key SAP areas, including Supply Chain Management (SCM), SAP Materials Management (MM), SAP Production Planning (PP), SAP Sales & Distribution (SD), including Variant Configuration (VC), SAP Customer Service (CS), including Field Service Management (FSM), and other core SAP functions. Centrix provided support precisely where disruptions could directly affect employees, customers or operational processes.

A particular advantage came from the IT delivery centre in New Zealand. As the European working day ended, the Centrix team’s day began. Tickets did not have to wait until the following morning, and system alerts could continue to be monitored and addressed. This significantly reduced the need for internal SAP specialists to intervene at night or outside their regular working hours. At the same time, offices in North America and the Asia-Pacific region received real-time support. The time difference became a tangible operational advantage: SAP support continued while Europe slept.

The Results

  • The internal SAP team gained greater peace of mind and more capacity to focus on the S/4HANA transformation programme.
  • Business teams continued to receive responsive functional SAP and Basis support around the clock.
  • Incidents and service requests were managed reliably through the established ITSM process.
  • System-generated error messages were actively monitored and addressed.
  • Critical production, maintenance and customer service processes continued to run reliably.
  • Operational risk was substantially reduced during a demanding business transformation.
  • European teams could finish their working day without routinely carrying unresolved support issues into the night.

Why Centrix Consulting

Major transformations require focus – and a strong team safeguarding day-to-day operations behind the scenes. This is exactly what Centrix specialises in. Our delivery model from New Zealand combines experienced functional SAP consultants, German- and English-language support, and a time zone that creates a significant advantage for European businesses.

While Tecan developed tomorrow’s SAP landscape, Centrix helped keep today’s SAP processes stable. Geographical distance became close operational collaboration – and the night became a productive working window.

Delivered Services

  • Round-the-clock functional SAP support
  • ITSM ticket handling
  • SAP Materials Management (MM)
  • SAP Plant Maintenance / Enterprise Asset Management (PM/EAM)
  • SAP Customer Service (CS)
  • Monitoring and resolution of system-generated error messages
  • Business process support
  • Incident and service request management
  • Global follow-the-sun SAP support
  • Support in German and English
  • Supply Chain Management (SCM), including logistics and Quality Management (QM)
  • SAP Basis support for user-related and printer issues
  • SAP Sales & Distribution (SD)
  • SAP Financial Accounting and Controlling (FI/CO), and Production Planning (PP)
  • SAP Field Service Management (FSM)
  • SAP Cloud for Customer (C4C)