Why SFS Group skipped a pilot and went straight to SAP S/4HANA global rollout

Swiss manufacturer SFS Group has completed its move to SAP S/4HANA, replacing two separate ERP systems with a single platform across 35 countries, simplifying operations and standardizing data and processes across its global business, Fabian Schneider, program director at cbs Corporate Business Solutions, said in an SAP blog.

The rollout happened in two stages. SFS first moved finance teams in 27 countries and part of its Distribution & Logistics business in Switzerland, then chose a full “big bang” rollout for the remaining business units, after determining that running a pilot with parallel systems would add more risk than switching at once.

The SFS Group makes the small but critical parts that hold products and structures together, such as fasteners, precision metal components, and industrial tools. Its products are used in industries like automotive, medical devices, and construction, where reliability and precision are essential.

Alongside manufacturing, the company also supplies tools and components to businesses and manages their delivery through logistics services. The company has over 140 sales and production sites across 35 countries, and reported an annual revenue of about $3.4 billion in 2024.

Two Systems Became Harder to Manage

SFS had been running SAP systems for around 20 years. Over time, growth led to two separate ERP environments, each supporting different parts of the business.

What worked earlier became harder to manage as the company expanded. Maintaining two systems created complexity in processes, data, and reporting.

Roland Tüscher, S/4HANA Transition Project Manager, SFS Group, said, “In the past, we had two ERP landscapes that had grown organically over time. They differed in size and were used for different areas. But ultimately, we realized that we no longer needed these different configurations and therefore decided on a joint transition project.”

With SAP’s maintenance deadline for older ERP systems approaching, SFS used the transition as an opportunity to simplify its setup. SAP’s mainstream maintenance for ECC systems ends in December 2027, adding pressure for companies to modernize their ERP landscapes. Reto Buchli, head of corporate information technology, SFS Group, said, “Our goals were simpler structures, optimized processes, and the merger onto a future-proof, shared system.”

From Phased Rollout to Big Bang Decision

SFS brought in cbs Corporate Business Solutions for the implementation, which was rolled out in two phases. The first phase covered finance teams in 27 countries and parts of the Distribution & Logistics business in Switzerland. This helped the team understand the scale and complexity of the move.

The original plan for the second phase was to run a pilot in Switzerland before expanding globally. But after reviewing the risks, the team changed direction. Running a pilot would have required both systems to operate in parallel, with constant data exchange between them. This would have increased complexity and created more points of failure.

Instead, SFS moved ahead with a global rollout, switching operations across 20 countries and all business units at once. The decision also reduced the project timeline by about a year. In the end, avoiding a pilot came down to one factor: reducing the complexity of running two systems at once.

Execution at Scale

The project used a selective transformation approach, keeping existing structures where possible and changing only what was needed. This helped balance speed with process improvements.

The scale of the move was significant. Around one million materials, 2.7 million bills of materials, and 23,000 production orders were migrated. To manage change across regions, SFS brought key users from different countries to its headquarters in Switzerland. These sessions were used for testing, validation, and aligning processes.

What Changed After Go-Live

The rollout went live without major disruptions. Early support requirements were limited, indicating a stable transition.

SFS now runs its operations on a single ERP system, with consistent data and processes across regions. E-invoicing and logistics integrations are handled through cloud connections, and user access is managed through a unified model.

One of the key areas of change is product lifecycle management, where new processes were introduced during the project. Buchli said, “Our goal is to establish lean, agile, and future-proof end-to-end business processes to remain competitive. Together with cbs, we were able to build a future-proof ERP core that supports our business globally and creates the conditions for leveraging future developments and innovations.”

The company is now looking at further improvements in production planning and future software updates, building on the new system as its core platform.

What This Means for SAPinsiders

Big bang is not always the riskier choice. When integration complexity between old and new systems is high, running parallel environments can increase risk instead of reducing it, making a full rollout the more controlled option.

SAP S/4HANA deadlines are forcing consolidation decisions. With the 2027 end of ECC maintenance, companies are using the move to simplify landscapes, reducing multiple systems into a single platform to ease migration and operations.

Execution discipline matters as much as strategy. Bringing global users together for testing and validation helped SFS manage scale, showing that governance and coordination are critical in large ERP programs.