Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Moonen Packaging, a leading sustainable packaging company, recently migrated their ERP system to SAP S/4Hana. They needed to efficiently perform analytics on top of the operational data stored in it. Given that Moonen Packaging’s core infrastructure was already on Google Cloud, Moonen Packaging decided to use GCP’s extensive data and analytics capabilities. Devoteam provided strategic guidance and deep technical expertise, utilising Google Cloud’s Cortex framework for SAP. Additionally, experts used tools like SNP Glue Data Replication, BigQuery, and Looker Studio.
The implementation provided Moonen Packaging with accelerated time-to-value, scalable infrastructure, and open-source flexibility, delivering key insights into sales, customers, and products.
The snapshot
1
Having recently migrated their ERP to SAP S/4Hana, Moonen Packaging sought to efficiently leverage their operational data for analytics and reporting.
2
Devoteam implemented a solution utilising Google Cloud’s Cortex framework for SAP, alongside SNP Glue Data Replication, BigQuery, and Looker Studio.
3
The project resulted in accelerated time-to-value with pre-built assets, scalable GCP infrastructure, and flexibility.
About Moonen Packaging
For over 65 years, Moonen Packaging has grown into a leading, innovative packaging specialist with a deep commitment to customer satisfaction and the planet. Their commitment goes beyond mere words, evidenced by their leadership in the Lean & Green initiative, which aims for a 55% reduction in greenhouse gases. Their sustainable ethos is further validated by their BREEAM Excellent-certified facility and top-tier certifications like EcoVadis Platinum.
Moonen Packaging is more than just a supplier of compostable and renewable packaging. It is a driving force for sustainability within the industry. By partnering with customers to integrate eco-conscious practices throughout their packaging processes, they deliver both cost savings and environmental benefits. This is solidifying their position as a leader in sustainable packaging solutions.
Challenges: Unlocking SAP Data for Business Insights
Having recently implemented a SAP ERP system as part of a significant investment in their IT infrastructure, Moonen Packaging recognised the need to efficiently leverage the wealth of data within this new system. To gain deeper operational insights and facilitate informed decision-making, their immediate priority was to onboard this data onto an analytical data platform and establish comprehensive SAP reporting capabilities.
The Goal
Moonen Packaging’s objective was clear: to unlock the analytical potential of their operational data, particularly that residing within their newly implemented SAP ERP system. Recognising SAP’s critical role in their business processes and the current lack of reporting on this essential data, they aimed for a swift implementation of an analytics solution to address this need promptly.
The Solution
Given the mentioned requirements, Google Cloud’s Cortex framework for SAP emerged as a suitable solution. It offers out-of-the-box data integration pipelines, change data capture (CDC). Furthermore, it includes pre-built data models specifically designed for SAP data. This significantly speeds up the delivery of the insights Moonen needed.
To further expedite this process, experts used SNP Glue Data Replication to directly ingest raw SAP data into BigQuery. Once in BigQuery, the raw data is processed using Cloud Composer (Airflow) dags and modeled into final, reporting-ready tables. These curated tables are then directly accessed by Looker Studio, enabling the creation of custom dashboards and secure data exploration.
The Methodology
The collaboration with Moonen Packaging followed a structured waterfall methodology. We started with a Proof of Concept (PoC) project with a very limited scope. This initial phase allowed Moonen Packaging to validate the proposed solution. Additionally, it provided valuable insights into their specific requirements and potential limitations. This resulted in laying a solid foundation before proceeding to the full implementation.
Building upon the successful PoC, the second phase involved the comprehensive implementation of the Cortex Framework. The PoC proved instrumental in establishing effective collaboration. It provided a clear understanding of the project’s scope and requirements from the outset.
At Devoteam, we always aim to set a clear goal from the start, which we then reinforce during the project kick-off together with the client. While maintaining a structured approach, the team remained adaptable in their collaboration style, adjusting to optimise communication and workflow among multiple stakeholders.
This emphasis on open and effective communication, combined with flexibility, was crucial to the project’s success. The collaboration with Moonen Packaging was a positive experience, and Devoteam anticipates future opportunities for partnership.
Results: Accelerated Insights with Google Cloud Cortex
Implemented a Google Cloud solution, integrating over 50 operational and 30 analytical SAP tables for key business insights.
Achieved accelerated time-to-value, delivering critical insights within weeks by utilising Google Cloud’s Cortex Framework.
Established a scalable and secure analytics infrastructure built on Google Cloud, providing open-source flexibility.
Leveraging Cortex, Devoteam successfully integrated over 50 operational table sources for Moonen Packaging as well as 30 key analytical tables. This gave critical insights to business entities such as sales, customers, and products. Key features of this implementation include:
- Accelerated Time-to-Value through Pre-Built Assets: Leveraging Google Cloud’s Cortex Framework, Moonen Packaging benefited from a rich set of pre-built data models and extract-transform-load (ETL) templates specifically designed for SAP data. This drastically reduced the implementation timeline, allowing them to gain critical insight into their key business areas within weeks rather than months. This rapid access to information empowered Moonen Packaging to quickly analyse their core operational data, enabling a more informed understanding of their business performance and facilitating faster identification of trends and opportunities.
- Built on Scalable and Secure Google Cloud Infrastructure: Leveraging Google Cloud’s robust infrastructure, Cortex Framework utilises services like BigQuery for data warehousing and Cloud Composer for workflow orchestration. This integration ensures scalability, security, and high performance for analytics workloads.
- Open-Source Flexibility and Community Support: The open-source nature of the Cortex Framework allows organisations to customise and extend its capabilities to meet specific business needs. This flexibility fosters innovation and collaboration within the user community.
Want to unlock the analytical potential of your SAP data like Moonen Packaging? Devoteam’s SAP Google Cloud expertise can help. Contact us to explore how we can build a tailored SAP data integration and analytics solution for your business.
