Vendor-neutral. Fact-based. Ready for decision-making – how the Folex Group used ICB’s SPARK® methodology to lay the groundwork for its group-wide ERP replacement of SAP ECC 6.0.
For decades, the Folex Group has been developing and manufacturing high-quality coated films and specialty products for printing, industrial, and technical applications. With production facilities in Schwyz (Switzerland) and Cologne (Germany), the Group serves international customers through closely integrated intercompany processes. Growth and increasing regulatory requirements have pushed the Group’s legacy ERP landscape to its limits.
Mainstream support for the SAP ECC 6.0 system will end on December 31, 2027. Continuing to use the system is not justifiable for compliance and security reasons. However, the need for action was not limited to a technical migration: a heterogeneous system landscape, manual data hand-offs across all core processes, two locations with differing process configurations, and compliance gaps in sanctions and hazardous materials checks made it clear that a strategic realignment for the next 10 to 15 years was required. The central question: Continue with SAP or take a different path?
Using the SPARK® methodology, every ICB ERP pre-project goes through clearly defined phases—vendor-neutral, standards-based, and cloud-oriented. It all starts with Phase 0, the “Kickstarter,” in which we define the project scope. In Phase 1, we dive into the end-to-end processes, from order-to-cash through purchase-to-pay and plan-to-produce to record-to-report. Phase 2 brings structure to the selection process: Using a decision tree, we evaluate the suitability of various ERP systems (industry-specific solutions, best-of-breed systems, and cloud ERP platforms). Finally, in Phase 3, we develop the target architecture, migration path, and decision template. The end result is a well-founded platform recommendation that can be presented directly to the board of directors.
Within six weeks, ICB delivered a complete, decision-ready proposal to the board of directors.
The Folex Group's process center covering all core processes and both locations
Fit-gap analysis, including requirements for expansion and hotspots
Decision Tree and System Comparison of the Three Leading Cloud ERP Platforms
Master Data Strategy and Migration Objects with Assigned Responsible Persons for Each Object
Target architecture, including an interface concept with all peripheral systems
5-Year TCO Calculation and License Overview
Evaluation Matrix for Go-Live Scenarios
Proposal for the Executive Board and Board of Directors
A fact-based, vendor-neutral basis for decision-making for the board of directors—fully documented and audit-ready.
A centralized, cloud-based ERP platform for the entire group, rather than a collection of disparate, isolated systems—with clearly defined peripheral systems and interfaces.
Harmonized end-to-end processes across Order-to-Cash, Purchase-to-Pay, Plan-to-Produce, and Finance—fewer data silos, less manual work.
A consistent "fit-to-standard" approach, a client structure for the companies, and consistent intercompany logic within a single instance.
