Brownfield transformation at international automotive supplier Emitec
High planning reliability and a quick return to operational business. A seamless transition to SAP S/4HANA.
At a glance
Automotive supplier specializing in exhaust technology
Headquarters in Lohmar, Germany
Over 750 employees
€85.7 million in revenue (2024)
The company
Emitec Technologies GmbH is one of the world’s leading specialists in highly innovative metal substrates and technologies for reducing emissions. The company’s roots date back to the development of steel foils for metallic catalyst substrates. A group of engineers at Interatom, a Siemens subsidiary, achieved a decisive breakthrough with the development of the METALIT® metal substrate technology. Building on this, Emitec was founded in 1986 as a joint venture between Siemens and the British company GKN Plc.
Today, Emitec is part of the Dubag Group and once again operates as an independent company in the market. With more than 750 employees, Emitec develops and manufactures solutions for the automotive and industrial sectors at locations in Germany and India. Development centers in Germany, as well as branches in Asia and North America, support the company’s international focus.
Since its founding, Emitec has sold more than 360 million metal carriers. Over 1,100 patents underscore the company’s innovative strength. Its customers include leading global manufacturers of passenger cars, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, and machinery for the non-road sector.
Since its founding, Emitec has sold more than 360 million metal carriers. Over 1,100 patents underscore the company’s innovative strength. Its customers include leading global manufacturers of passenger cars, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, and machinery for the non-road sector.
It was crucial for us that we were able to make the transition to SAP S/4HANA with a high degree of stability and without disruptions to our operations. The go-live even took place faster than planned.
Susanne Longrée,
S/4HANA Project Management at Emitec
The challenge
Emitec Technologies faced a demanding task: The existing SAP ECC system needed to be migrated to SAP S/4HANA without jeopardizing well-established, business-critical processes. The existing system landscape was functionally mature and reliably supported daily operations. Therefore, the goal was not to reinvent processes, but to implement the transition to the new system environment technically soundly and with as little risk as possible. Emitec opted for a brownfield approach to preserve existing structures, interfaces, and proven processes as much as possible.
At the same time, it was essential to ensure that international production, with its tightly scheduled workflows, remained operational at all times. Downtime was only marginally acceptable, especially in a 24/7 environment. Added to this was the collaboration between several external partners and internal departments. This increased the need for clear responsibilities, transparent communication, and reliable project management. Emitec was looking for a partner that combines technical expertise with structured implementation and maintains a clear overview even during critical project phases. Emitec found this partner in abat.
The solution
abat supported Emitec throughout the entire transformation process. At the core was a structured brownfield approach, which allowed existing processes and system structures to be retained while simultaneously laying the groundwork for SAP S/4HANA. To this end, the project team analyzed the existing code, identified necessary adjustments, and implemented them in a targeted manner. Extensive testing, data adjustments, and technical reviews ensured that processes and interfaces functioned reliably. This laid the foundation for a stable and controlled go-live.
The project
From the outset, the project was designed to ensure a controlled transition. Instead of a one-time migration, Emitec, in collaboration with abat, opted for a multi-phase approach. In the initial phase, the existing system landscape was analyzed, the project organization was established, and the roadmap for the transformation was agreed upon. At the same time, the stakeholders determined which processes should be carried over and where technical adjustments were necessary.
The implementation phase then began. The transformation took place in several iterations. Systems were prepared, converted, and gradually adapted to the requirements of SAP S/4HANA. Data adjustments, as well as the coordination of interfaces and process chains, proceeded in parallel. After each iteration, the results were reviewed and used for the next project phase. This approach made it possible to address risks early on.
Collaboration among the various project partners played a key role. Multiple service providers and functional departments worked in parallel on individual work packages. Therefore, regular coordination, transparent decision-making, and clearly defined responsibilities were crucial to the project’s success. abat ensured that technical and organizational aspects were seamlessly integrated.
As the project progressed, the focus shifted to testing and dry runs. Processes were simulated under realistic conditions, technical workflows were tested, and necessary adjustments were implemented. The insights gained were directly incorporated into the preparation for the cutover.
The decisive milestone came on a weekend in May 2026. The go-live went according to plan and was even faster than expected. Thanks to the structured cutover, the planned manual tasks were able to begin about five hours earlier than scheduled. By Sunday evening, the new system was already running productively and stably. The subsequent smoke tests in Germany and India were carried out successfully and validated by the key users. After that, the hypercare phase began. The project teams closely monitored ongoing operations and kept an eye on system stability. The first monthly closing was also successfully completed. There were no major disruptions or escalations. Thus, the project did not end with the go-live. It culminated in the sustainable establishment of a stable SAP S/4HANA landscape that reliably supports day-to-day operations today.
Outcome
Successful SAP S/4HANA transformation with validated smoke tests at the locations in Germany and India.
Ensuring business continuity through stable production operations without significant disruptions following the go-live.
Creation of a future-proof SAP S/4HANA foundation for further digital developments and innovations within the company.
The results
The collaboration between Emitec and abat led to a successful and largely disruption-free transformation to SAP S/4HANA. Particularly noteworthy was the go-live, which not only proceeded according to plan but was even implemented ahead of schedule. Thanks to the smooth cutover, the planned manual activities began earlier than scheduled. The new system was already running productively and stably by Sunday evening. For Emitec, this meant a significantly reduced migration risk and a high degree of planning certainty.
The benefits were immediately apparent in day-to-day operations. Business continuity was maintained, and the international locations were able to continue operating without any significant interruptions. Successfully completed smoke tests confirmed the functionality of the new system landscape. Even critical processes such as the monthly close could be carried out stably. The structured hypercare phase and clearly defined support processes further ensured that questions were quickly resolved and necessary adjustments were implemented in a controlled manner.
Furthermore, SAP S/4HANA provided a robust foundation for the company’s continued digital development. Clear responsibilities, transparent communication, and coordinated processes continue to support operations to this day and lay the groundwork for future optimizations and additional innovation projects.
For us, S/4HANA serves as the foundation for further improving and automating processes using modern technologies – such as BTP, Analytics Cloud, and AI.
This enables IT to make a tangible contribution to Emitec´s competitiveness, especially in economically challenging times.
Dimitri Baronsky,
S/4HANA PMO & Head of IT BA at Emitec
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