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Compliance Through Full Transparency
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP)
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Connectivity Platforms
Applicable Industries
- Automotive
- Healthcare & Hospitals
Applicable Functions
- Business Operation
Services
- Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
- Cybersecurity Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
Imperial Logistics faced significant challenges in managing its payment processes due to a lack of transparency in bank signatory powers across different entities, no automatic forwarding of payment requests from ERP systems to banks, and a lack of transparency in cash flows. The company had grown through acquisitions, resulting in 150 legal entities, 200 bank accounts at approximately 40 banks, seven cash pools, and many different signatory powers, all managed without a Treasury Management System. This complexity made it difficult for the Treasury to stay on top of things, necessitating a change to optimize security and compliance with internal and external regulations, create a unified IT landscape, and achieve more transparency and traceability of payment processes.
About The Customer
Imperial Logistics, headquartered in Duisburg, Germany, is an African and European-focused provider of integrated market access and logistics solutions. The company operates in five key industries: healthcare, consumer, automotive, chemicals, and industrial. As a fully-owned subsidiary of South African Imperial Holdings Limited, Imperial Logistics International B.V. & Co. KG manages all logistics business outside Africa. The company has two main divisions: Imperial Transport Solutions and Imperial Supply Chain Solutions, covering a full range of services. With 9,000 employees at 170 locations, Imperial Logistics International generates 1.6 billion euros in revenue annually.
The Solution
To address these challenges, Imperial Logistics implemented the cloud-based TIS platform, which provided a comprehensive payments solution. The TIS platform offered full transparency over all payments processed, allowing Treasurers to check the time, amount, payment initiating system, and signatory rights for each payment. Additionally, Imperial Logistics modernized its IT infrastructure by replacing two SAP R/3 systems with the latest SAP S/4HANA, assisted by Arvato Systems. The company also planned to migrate other local ERP systems one at a time and implement a new Treasury Management System (IT2). The TIS platform connected all subsidiaries, accounts, and users on one platform, eliminating the need for individual online banking systems and providing real-time transparency over all group-wide cash activities. Payments data was sent automatically from individual systems to banks via TIS, and bank statements were uploaded automatically to ERP systems. Each action in TIS was logged and checked against internal security policies, ensuring compliance and security.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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