Smith & Nephew Sews Up Procurement Transformation with SAP Ariba

Leading surgical manufacturer expands use of business network and cloud-based applications to drive efficient digital process for managing spend from end to end

PRAGUE, Czech Republic--()--When it comes to healthcare, procurement is a different game. It needs to be easy for employees, but also in line with company policies. With the help of SAP Ariba, Smith & Nephew plc, is achieving both. Leveraging the Ariba® Network and a range of cloud-based applications delivered on it, the leading surgical manufacturer is driving an efficient digital process that enables the company to manage its spend with greater speed, efficiency and compliance.

“Our goal isn’t just to simplify procurement, but to transform it into an efficient process that delivers value across our organization,” said Andrew Croston, VP Global Indirect & Procurement Transformation at Smith and Nephew plc. “With SAP Ariba, we have access to a unique set of tools we can use to do just this.”

Traditionally, procurement at Smith & Nephew was driven by multiple business groups using different systems and processes, which made it tough for the company to keep track of and manage its spend.

“We knew we needed to implement a more centralized, standard process to give us greater control so that we could better manage our costs and risks,” Croston said. “And we wanted an integrated system to drive it.”

The Power of &

The company found one in SAP Ariba. An innovator at its core, Smith & Nephew long ago moved to digitize its business, embracing solutions from SAP to run faster and smarter. With SAP, Smith & Nephew can master massive amounts of data digitally in real time, enable instant insight and predictive analytics to guide critical decision making and eliminate risk.

In adding solutions from SAP Ariba, the company knew it could extend this simplicity, power and speed outside the four walls and collaborate with customers, partners and suppliers in new and innovative ways to fuel a standard, best-practice process for sourcing goods and services and transform its supply chain. And this is exactly what it did. In 2016, the company began implementing a range of SAP Ariba’s cloud-based applications, including:

  • SAP Ariba® Collaborative Sourcing™
  • SAP Ariba Buying™, multi-ERP edition
  • SAP Ariba Contract Invoicing™
  • SAP Ariba Commerce Automation™

And today, the company announced that it is adding SAP Ariba Spend Analysis™ to its portfolio to give it greater visibility into its spend across categories, geographies, divisions and systems.

“Procurement is no longer about buying things at the best prices, but operating in new and innovative ways that create value across the entire source-to-settle process,” said Paul Devlin, General Manager, SAP Ariba, EMEA and MEE. “Leveraging SAP Ariba’s cloud-based applications and business network, Smith & Nephew can drive a dynamic digital process that transforms their operations and the results they deliver.”

Smith & Nephew joins more than 2.8 million companies in 190 countries who are connected to the Ariba Network and using it to drive more than $1 trillion in commerce on an annual basis. To learn more about SAP Ariba’s solutions and the value they can deliver, visit www.ariba.com

About Smith & Nephew

Smith & Nephew is a UK-headquartered surgical manufacturing company with global revenues of $4.5bn. The company operates in more than 90 countries worldwide with its primary locations in Hull, UK, Memphis, Tennessee, and Andover, Massachusetts.

Focusing on orthopedics, wound care, and endoscopy, Smith & Nephew makes products to repair joints, skin, soft tissue, and bone. The company's orthopedics division makes hip, knee, and shoulder replacements, in addition to fixation and bone-growth devices used to repair broken bones.

About SAP Ariba

SAP Ariba is how companies connect to get business done. On the Ariba Network, buyers and suppliers from more than two million companies and 190 countries discover new opportunities, collaborate on transactions and grow their relationships. Buyers can manage the entire purchasing process, while controlling spending, finding new sources of savings and building a healthy supply chain. And suppliers can connect with profitable customers and efficiently scale existing relationships – simplifying sales cycles and improving cash control along the way. The result is a dynamic, digital marketplace, where more than $1 trillion in commerce gets done every year.

To learn more about SAP Ariba, visit www.ariba.com

About SAP

As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP (NYSE: SAP) helps companies of all sizes and industries run better. From back office to boardroom, warehouse to storefront, desktop to mobile device – SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. SAP applications and services enable approximately 350,000 customers to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably. For more information, visit www.sap.com.

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Contacts

SAP Ariba
Karen Master, 412-297-8177
karen.master@sap.com

Contacts

SAP Ariba
Karen Master, 412-297-8177
karen.master@sap.com