Lanxess Case Study: E-Procurement for DAX Enterprises
Lanxess AG: Customized E-Procurement for the Conglomerate
Productive worldwide since 2014
With Ovenca, the specialty chemicals conglomerate built a flexible E-Procurement system that adapts to its processes – not the other way around. Over a decade without switching. 1+ million catalog lines. Thousands of orders. Hundreds of suppliers.
The Challenge: Growing Complexity in Procurement
Lanxess AG, the Cologne-based specialty chemicals conglomerate with €6.4 billion in revenue and 11,800 employees across 32 countries, had an established E-Procurement system. But as complexity grew, the rigid structure and limited configuration options became a bottleneck. Supplier management, multi-step approval processes, and ERP integration could not be economically implemented.
Customized E-Procurement in a Conglomerate Environment
Ovenca was not implemented as a pre-built box, but rather configured based on Lanxess' specific business requirements.
Deep SAP Integration
Contracts and material numbers directly in the product search – significantly reduces manual data work.
- SAP contract data in buyer search
- Automatic material number linking
- Cost-optimized access to approved materials
- Clean interface to SAP landscape
Multi-Stage Approval Processes
Complex approval workflows, configurable for different material groups and plants.
- Flexible approval chains per department
- Role and plant-based workflows
- Transparent tracking from request to invoice
- Integrated compliance rules
Centralized Supplier Management
Monitoring and managing hundreds of suppliers with reporting and transparency.
- Global supplier management
- Quality and compliance tracking
- Decentralized updates for local teams
- Integrated scoring and performance tracking
Administration & Transparency
Comprehensive central control: content release, user permissions, detailed reports.
- Granular content release per plant/region
- Role-based permissions
- Meaningful analytics and reporting
- Audit trail for compliance
Ten Years of Productive Operations
The newly developed catalog system has proven to be an optimal decision for us, even a year and a half after commissioning. The advantages of the individual solution compared to the standardized approaches of other vendors are particularly evident in the flexible structure. All requirements were fulfilled to our satisfaction without exception. By integrating SAP contracts and material numbers into the product search, we were able to increase the automation of our purchase-to-pay processes as desired. At the clear administration level, we manage content release and availability, handle user permissions, and obtain the desired transparency through meaningful reports. The E-Procurement solution developed by Onveda was tailored 100% to our needs and is now in use worldwide. From day one, we achieved sustainable cost reductions.
This quote comes from an evaluation discussion a year and a half after the 2014 go-live. It describes the immediate experience with flexible customization and already points to the importance: process cost reduction and cost transparency measurable from day one.
ERP-Agnostic Flexibility Meets Solution Orientation
The decision for Ovenca was based on three core principles that have proven themselves over a decade.
True Adaptability
Unlike standardized approaches from other vendors: Ovenca was not implemented as a pre-built box. The system adapted to the processes – not the other way around.
Customized Solution Orientation
Every requirement – from SAP contract data in search to reporting specifications – was implemented to Lanxess' satisfaction.
Long-Term Partnership
Not closed as a project, but as a continuously developed system over the years. A testament to stability and mutual success.
No Vendor Lock-in
Critical for DAX/MDAX enterprises: flexible architecture without proprietary dependencies. Data belongs to the conglomerate, processes are portable.
Global Scale Availability
Deployable worldwide across 32 countries. Multi-language, multi-regional, with compliance for different legal jurisdictions.
Proven Stability
Over a decade under Lanxess conglomerate load with thousands of orders, hundreds of suppliers, and continuous development.
Questions about the Lanxess Implementation
For Your Procurement Strategy: E-Procurement Without Vendor Lock-in
The Lanxess reference shows: flexible, customized E-Procurement solutions are not a luxury, but an economic necessity for DAX/MDAX enterprises. If you are replacing SAP SRM, moving away from Ariba licenses, or planning your S/4HANA transformation without a Procurement Suite – let's talk.
Discuss Lanxess Case Study
Curious about the exact architecture, implementation timeline, or technical details? We're happy to share the know-how – while respecting Lanxess' confidentiality.