Nyrstar implements SAP to speed business growth

The company is using SAP Commodity Risk Management, Commodity Procurement and Commodity Sales applications, all launched in November (2011). Phil Palmer, CIO of Nyrstar, says the software is helping the company to handle assays and its raw materials contracts, and also allowing it to capture supply chain transactions and transfer them to its exposure management process. Nyrstar, he says, is also now better equipped to minimise the impact of metal price volatility, with increased visibility across all metal flows and centralised management of global risk exposures. "SAP software provides the platform we need to run a successful business," comments Palmer. "By operating a lean, efficient, dynamic and flexible business underpinned by SAP software, we can focus on building a strong and sustainable future and creating value for all our stakeholders." Following the overall SAP implementation, Nyrstar, he says, has simplified its IT architecture, retired more than 10 legacy systems and improved processes for contract to cash, metal price and currency hedging, metal sales and purchasing, tracking and quantifying risk exposure, tracking raw material and finished goods, as well as financial closing. Palmer says that Nyrstar was able to centralise and globalise its commercial operations, such that, today, a single sales and marketing organisation works from one database and integrated processes, and world-wide purchasing has been consolidated in its headquarters.