ALSO invests sustainably in infrastructure - S/4HANA Introduced in Portugal in February 

ALSO invests sustainably in infrastructure – state-of-the-art IT ecosystem:
S/4HANA Introduced in Portugal in February 

To enhance efficiency and maximize “Operational Excellence” within the ALSO Group, sustainable investments have been made in IT over the past 14 years. The result is a state-of-the-art system landscape characterized by stability, transparency, scalability, and future expandability.

ERP Systems

As part of the harmonization of ERP systems, a total of 35 SAP R/3 implementations have been carried out, enabling efficiency-enhancing developments to be leveraged across the entire Group. The next step, the implementation of the cloud-based ERP solution SAP S/4HANA, will be completed Group-wide by 2029. An important milestone was reached with the first go-live at ALSO Portugal. The transition to the new system is being implemented successively company by company, minimizing risk.

In addition to growth-supporting scalability, the system offers high integration capability, flexibility, improved automation options, and a modern working environment. These factors are expected to further enhance productivity at ALSO.

BI and CRM

Based on the central database established through the aforementioned measures, modern monitoring systems continuously generate automated analyses, providing the foundation for data-driven decision-making. The BI system, introduced in 2013, is used by the ALSO team for in-depth business data analysis and profitability optimization. Since 2015, the CRM system, linked to BI, has served as a tool to accelerate sales activities. By analyzing customer-relevant data, sales and distribution efforts are optimized, and new sales opportunities are identified.

WMS

Due to the high volume of articles and the ongoing need to optimize working capital and logistics processes, a centralized warehouse management system (WMS) has been implemented across 21 locations. This centralization enhances maintenance, support, and development, contributing significantly to operational excellence.

AI

The implementation of SAP SuccessFactors as a central HR system and Eightfold as a talent management platform ensures the efficient execution of internal administrative processes, enhances transparency in personnel data management, and supports both employee development and talent identification. These AI-based systems are state-of-the-art.

The use of software robots and, more recently, artificial intelligence, further contributes to operational excellence. ALSO-specific AI applications accelerate processes and free employees from repetitive tasks that can be automated.

Security

The resilience of the system landscape is regularly tested and evaluated through penetration tests conducted by external cybersecurity experts. Identified vulnerabilities are promptly addressed. Additionally, ongoing employee training increases awareness of cyber threats and prepares staff for potential attacks. Continuous threat analyses serve as the basis for proactive defense measures.

Data Center

Mirrored data centers, equipped with the latest energy-efficient technology and built to the highest security standards, form ALSO's hybrid infrastructure together with the cloud. High performance, data loss prevention, and robust resilience are essential prerequisites for optimal business support.

Digital Platforms

Internally operated platforms such as webshop, cloud, IoT, virtualization, AI, and cybersecurity are offered to our customers and their clients to optimize and stabilize their operations. This leads to an expansion of our sales offerings and improvement of our profitability.

Ingo Adolphs, CTO of ALSO Holding AG: “With the investments made, the ALSO ecosystem now has a future-proof, high-performance, and stable system environment that ideally supports the company's continued growth.”

Contact ALSO Holding AG
Kilian Maier
E-mail: kilian.maier@also.com

ALSO Holding AG (ALSN.SW) (Emmen/Switzerland) is one of the leading technology providers for the ICT industry, currently active in 30 European countries and in a total of 144 countries worldwide via PaaS partners. The ALSO ecosystem comprises a total potential of around 135,000 resellers, to whom we offer hardware, software and IT services from more than 800 vendors in over 1,540 product categories. In the spirit of the circular economy, the company provides all services from provision to remanufacturing from a single source. The business activities comprise the areas of Supply, Solutions and Service. Supply stands for the transactional provisioning of hardware and software. Solutions supports customers in the development of customised IT solutions. Subscription-based cloud offerings as well as digital platforms for IoT, cybersecurity, virtualisation and AI are at the heart of the Service division. The main shareholder is the Droege Group, Düsseldorf, Germany. Further information can be found at https://also.com

The Droege Group (founded in 1988) is an independent investment and consulting firm under full family ownership. The company acts as a specialist for tailor-made transformation programs aiming to enhance corporate value. Droege Group combines its corporate family-run structure and capital strength into a family-equity business model. The group invests its own equity in “special opportunities” with a focus on medium-sized companies and spin-offs as well as strategically in buy & build transactions. With the guiding principle "execution - following the rules of art", the group is a pioneer in execution-oriented corporate development. Droege Group follows a focused investment strategy based on long-term oriented megatrends. Enthusiasm for quality, innovation and speed determines the company’s actions. In recent years Droege Group has successfully positioned itself in domestic and international markets and operates in 30 countries.  For further information, please visit: https://droege-group.com