q.beyond introduces SAP S/4HANA at Libri

• All-round consulting project to modernise ERP landscape
• Libri to replace in-house development and build on process standardisation
• Major order over several years for q.beyond

Cologne, 13 July 2023 – Libri, Germany’s leading book wholesaler and the central link between publishers and retailers, will in future be relying on SAP S/4HANA as its central ERP system. With more than 4,000 retail customers of all sizes, the company will, among other measures, replace its internally developed Oracle-based system and benefit in future from the performance capacity of the latest SAP generation. Libri has commissioned q.beyond AG, which has extensive experience in implementing SAP solutions and proven retail expertise, to manage the introduction of the new system.

“We felt from the very outset that we could work with q.beyond in a partnership of equals. During the tendering stage, for example, we shared the same vision of the overall project scale,” explains Maurice Friedrichs, CIO of Libri. “q.beyond formed its own precise impression of the project in advance and demonstrated its wealth of experience in introducing SAP solutions in the retail sector.”

Standardisation, harmonisation and real-time evaluations

The project has already begun. In a first stage, conditions will be put in place in the coming months to migrate the financial accounting and controlling (FI/CO) modules from the current SAP R/3 System to S/4HANA. In further implementation stages, the purchasing, inventory, billing and sales processes will gradually be transferred from the in-house solution to SAP S/4HANA.

Libri’s objective is to further standardise and harmonise its own business processes. Using S/4HANA, the wholesaler will in future be able to perform real-time evaluations, such as for purchasing decisions, and integrate publishers and retailers more rapidly into its systems. The replacement of all aspects of the existing ERP landscape is planned to be completed by early 2026.

“We are delighted to gain Libri as a further customer for our SAP services, particularly as this will enable us to additionally document our comprehensive retail expertise and provide the wholesaler with all-round support in digitalising its business processes”, comments Thies Rixen, CEO of q.beyond AG. “The order placed by Libri shows that q.beyond is one of the top addresses when it comes to launching SAP solutions at retailers.”

About Libri GmbH
Based in Hamburg, the Libri Group is the leading book wholesaler in Germany and Europe. With its services, Libri ensures that nearly all German-language and numerous international book publications are available at short notice at all book retailers, both stationary and online. On behalf of the German book industry, Libri provides broad sections of the population with speedy and efficient access to culture, information and education. Libri sees itself as a guarantor of a highly diversified book culture and as a group of companies committed to society and freedom of expression.
The Libri Group comprises book wholesaler Libri GmbH, the haulier BOOXpress GmbH, the specialist in digital book publications and self-publishing Books on Demand GmbH (BoD) and shareholdings in the book wholesaler Könemann Vertriebs GmbH, the internet platform genialokal.de and the Swiss company Buchzentrum AG.


About q.beyond AG
q.beyond AG is the key to successful digitalisation. We help our customers find the best digital solutions for their business and then put them into practice. Our strong team of 1,100 people accompanies SME customers securely and reliably throughout their digital journey. We are experts in Cloud, SAP, Microsoft, data intelligence, security and software development. With locations throughout Germany, as well as in Latvia and in Spain, and its own certified data centres, q.beyond is one of Germany’s leading IT service providers.


Contact
q.beyond AG
Arne Thull
Head of Investor Relations /Mergers & Acquisitions
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