Synthon B.V., Nijmegen, Netherlands

Synthon is an international, science-centered pharmaceutical company specialized in developing and manufacturing high-quality generic and innovative medicines for patients around the world, e.g. biosimilars, new biological products and chemical entities.

Synthon’s more than 1,400 employees generate annual sales of about EUR 250 million.

About the Project

Streamlining Processes and Supporting Future Growth – with SAP^® ECC

Time for a Change

Synthon produces high-quality generic medicines, biosimilars, and new biological and chemical entities. Its proven methods for creating and distributing these products make it an industry leader. To consolidate its strong position, the company sought to update its ERP system.

After around 10 years with the same solution, Synthon was finding it increasingly difficult to innovate. CIO René Iriks explains: “Our existing ERP system no longer provided optimal support for our processes; we needed something to help us grow today and in the future.”

So Synthon set about finding the right replacement. After assessing its options, the organization deemed SAP ECC to be the best fit. Synthon then called on NTT DATA Business Solutions for support with the implementation project. “NTT DATA Business Solutions’ extensive experience in the industry and fast, structured implementation method made it an obvious choice,” says Iriks.

“We compared SAP ERP to five alternatives. SAP satisfied our requirements the best, especially for process support in pharmaceuticals.”

René Iriks, CIO, Synthon Holding

A Perfectly Planned Collaboration

Collaboration between the two parties brought the project to a successful conclusion on time and within budget. “NTT DATA Business Solutions planned the implementation perfectly, so everyone involved was clear on his or her tasks,” states Iriks. By following NTT DATA Business Solutions’ template, Synthon can now easily roll out SAP ECC to other locations.

Future-Proof and Compliant

Since adopting SAP ECC, Synthon has experienced a number of benefits. For instance, it has been able to streamline business processes including inventory management, workflow approval, and report creation. It can now also connect its administrative processes directly to hardware such as medical equipment and scanners. This eliminates many manual steps, improving efficiency and reducing the risk of human error.

Moreover, the company’s new solution is compatible with pre-existing and new software. Due to SAP’s popularity as an IT provider in the pharmaceuticals industry, Synthon can connect its ERP system to those of its partners. Furthermore, as SAP meets local and international requirements, Synthon is now fully compliant, making it easier for the organization to tap into new markets.

As well as helping Synthon overcome its current challenges, SAP ECC also prepares it for the future. According to Iriks, the solution’s scalability puts the company in a “great position to meet the needs of the business and support product innovation.” She adds: “If we want to roll out SAP ERP at another location, we will benefit from SAP and NTT DATA Business Solutions’ global presence and local compliance.”