Mergers, Acquisitions, Partnerships in November 2022

Alliance for networked SCM

The Myleo/dsc platform is now connected to the Logistics Cloud and opens up partner networking.

Leogistics and Logistics Cloud, software providers in the field of data integration and connectivity, have agreed on a partnership. The aim of the collaboration is to map collaborative logistics processes as simply as possible and to optimally integrate upstream and downstream systems. As part of this, Leogistics will use the Logistics Cloud as a connectivity platform for its Myleo/dsc logistics solution to create digital interfaces between shippers and their supply chain partners. New functionalities are also being jointly developed and made available to customers of both companies.

With Myleo/dsc, Leogistics creates an efficient, simple and future-proof logistics execution and SCM platform for all industries and modes of transport. Based on so-called Process Solutions, which cover the entire process from inbound to yard and container management to outbound, the platform links logistical objects with process and business data, thus creating transparency in the supply chain. To this end, the cloud solution for plant and transport logistics focuses on communication as well as real-time transport visibility and facilitates collaboration between those involved in the process. "Transport logistics in particular is a highly collaborative process. Therefore, data exchange is more important than ever for supply chain management.

Niko Hossain, CEO at Logistics-Cloud, and André Käber, CEO at Leogistics: "Logistics- Cloud is a connectivity platform that makes networking standardizable, easier and reusable.

BI and Data Science

Capgemini has entered into an agreement to acquire all shares in Braincourt, a specialist in BI.

The acquisition will expand Capgemini's data and analytics services offering in Germany and Northern Europe. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, the company employs people throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Braincourt has built a reputation for its industry-leading capabilities in business intelligence, data science and project management services.

This is particularly true for the controlling areas of key functions such as finance, human resources, production and logistics. Braincourt's client base is highly complementary to Capgemini's and includes leading brands in the automotive, construction, energy and telecommunications industries.

"Braincourt will contribute its experience in BI solutions, AI and data science."

Henrik Ljungström, Managing Director, Capgemini

NTT Data acquires a stake in Natuvion

Natuvion Group is part of the exclusive expert group of the world's leading transformation experts led by SAP.

NTT Data acquires majority stake in Walldorf-based Natuvion, an SAP data transformation partner. The internationally positioned Natuvion Group supports companies in moving business-critical data and processes to modern IT platforms and systems, automated by software tools developed in-house. Typical Natuvion "relocation services" include data migration, transformation and integration, as well as data quality enhancement, decommissioning and data protection.

The two companies have already been working together in partnership for several years. Since 2020, Natuvion Group and NTT Data have been pooling their knowledge and expertise to implement SAP S/4 Hana transformation projects. Natuvion Group was founded in Walldorf in 2014 and expanded internationally in the following years. Natuvion is a founding member of the "SAP S/4 Hana Selective Data Transition Engagement Community".

 

From left: Norbert Rotter, CEO of NTT Data Business, and Natuvion founders and managing directors Holger Strotmann and Patric Dahse.

Cloud and IT infrastructure specialists

Managed service provider Claranet has announced the acquisition of Böblingen-based AddOn and AddOn Switzerland.

The acquisition aims to strengthen capabilities for SAP transformation projects, expand Microsoft competencies and accelerate entry into the cybersecurity market. It follows last year's acquisition of SAP consulting firm Kheto. AddOn was founded in 1995 and developed into one of the leading consulting firms for cloud and IT infrastructures. In its four business areas of strategy, consulting, managed services and training, the focus is on Microsoft, SAP, AWS and cloud services.

Its customers include numerous well-known companies from a wide range of industries such as pharmaceuticals, automotive and mechanical engineering. Olaf Fischer, Managing Director of Claranet Germany, describes the motives for the acquisition: "AddOn's SAP and Microsoft competencies combined with Claranet's experience in efficient managed services and managed hosting on public clouds are a perfect match for our customers. There is an ever-increasing demand for R/3-to-S/4 transition projects, motivated not least by the strategic alliance between SAP and Microsoft.

“AddOn's SAP and Microsoft expertise with Claranet's managed hosting experience.“

Olaf Fischer, Managing Director, Claranet Germany

Partnership in the SAP environment

The low-code provider Simplifier wins the SAP consulting house OSC for use in the SAP environment. As an SAP consulting company, OSC supports medium-sized customers. For this purpose, the company adapts SAP standards to the customers' needs and integrates solutions into existing systems in order to optimize processes. The service portfolio ranges from the installation of systems to implementation and customer support for joint projects. Through the partnership with Simplifier, the company complements its offering with low-code and the associated opportunities and benefits in application development.

"Through our partnership with Simplifier, we enable our SAP customers to take advantage of completely new possibilities for a cross-platform expression of business processes without special knowledge in development languages and thus meet our customers' desire for efficient low-code/no-code applications," summarizes Helge Neitzel, Sales Manager at OSC.

Digital document exchange and management

The two companies offer a solution that fully maps both the exchange and management of digital documents such as e-invoices.

The aim is to offer the market added value compared to systems that only map part of the process at a time. "In today's market situation, it is essential to support the customer with consolidated, fully comprehensive know-how as a process companion and to bring the necessary partners on board at an early stage," says Christian Hanisch, Head of Business Development at Ceyoniq Technology. "TIE Kinetix is a decisive step ahead, especially with regard to the technical and legal requirements for sending and receiving digital invoice and document formats via secure networks.

The professional background from the EDI environment creates a broad and promising spectrum of possibilities." The solution ensures legal certainty and converts the documents into the desired format, such as XInvoice. As a PEPPOL Access Point (Pan-European Public Procurement OnLine), TIE Kinetix provides certified access to the network for standardized tendering and procurement procedures. These are implemented in PEPPOL in a holistically digitalized manner - from the invitation to tender to the awarding of contracts and invoicing.

The Ceyoniq solution is used for document processing and, among other things, maps the entire internal purchase-to-pay process from requisition notification and release management to goods receipt and payment. The respective products of the new partners interlock seamlessly via an interface. "The topic of e-invoicing has received another noticeable boost in companies as a result of the E-Invoice Act," explains TIE-Kinetix Managing Director Christian Seidl. The regulation, however, is only the first of many to follow. "In the course of procurement processes, there are numerous other documents besides invoices that also need to be managed digitally." Ceyoniq and TIE Kinetix want to expand and secure their market position through the partnerships.