SAP History From Start-Up Software Vendor to Global Market Leader Over the course of three decades, SAP has evolved from a small, regional enterprise into a world-class international company. Today, SAP is the global market leader in collaborative, inter-enterprise business solutions. The company now employs more than 47,598 people, whose commitment and innovative spirit pace our future success. The 1970s: A Real-Time Vision In 1972, five former IBM employees – Dietmar Hopp, Hans-Werner Hector, Hasso Plattner, Klaus Tschira, and Claus Wellenreuther – launch a company called Systems Applications and Products in Data Processing in Mannheim, Germany. Their vision: to develop standard application software for real-time business processing. The 1980s: Rapid Growth By the middle of the decade, SAP founds its first sales organization outside Germany, in Austria.. Revenues reach DM 100 million (around $52 million) With the founding of subsidiaries in Denmark, Sweden, Italy, and the United States, SAP's international expansion takes a leap forward. The 1990s: A New Approach to Software and Solutions By 1996, the company has earned 1,089 new SAP R/3 customers. At the end of the year, SAP R/3 has been installed in more than 9,000 systems worldwide. The 2000s: Innovation for the New Millennium With the Internet, the user becomes the focus of software applications. SAP develops SAP Workplace and paves the way for the idea of an enterprise portal and role-specific access to information. Currently, more than 12 million users work each day with SAP solutions. There are now 140,000 installations worldwide, More than 2,400 certified partners, over 25 industry-specific business solutions, and more than 75,000 customers in 120 countries. SAP is the world's third-largest independent software vendor.

With broader insight, improved efficiency, and greater flexibility, companies can become more. Transparent and accountable Lean and agile Customer centric and collaborative How Does SAP for Consumer Products Drive Business Improvements? SAP's comprehensive suite of applications, integrated with leading business support and analytical software, enables you to optimize key end-to-end business processes – and achieve key business goals. To achieve clarity and transparency. The best-run businesses are using SAP solutions to help close the gap between strategy and execution – optimizing the performance of the business as well as the business network. SAP solutions, along with services and a wealth of extended value from the SAP customer-focused ecosystem, help customers become clear enterprises by providing insight for improved performance, efficiency for optimized operations, and flexibility to quickly adapt to changing circumstances. You can optimize core manufacturing processes. Manufacturing, respond to demand with shorter lead times with improved collaboration and visibility across your network of plants and suppliers. Drive efficiency and quality in plant operations – improving product availability while balancing inventory and manufacturing costs. Product and safety traceability, ensure quality, safety, and traceability with process integration across your supply chain. Facilitate compliance with product and food safety requirements, reducing costs and protecting brand equity. Manufacturing and fulfillment Improve operating efficiency from sheep to shop, while increasing customer service and operational responsiveness for growth.

SAP for Consumer Products supports key industry sales and service processes that deliver superior customer value With SAP solutions, you can optimize: Customer service/call center management, operate your customer service organization more efficiently. Manage interactions with customers seamlessly to improve satisfaction and drive additional revenue and market share Direct store delivery, sell and distribute goods directly to the customer's stores and gain direct contact to the point of sale to improve customer retention, realize additional sales opportunities, and increase market and consumer intimacy. Sales execution, manage your sales force cost effectively while increasing sales and driving customer service quality by connecting territory and visit planning with in-store sales, marketing and merchandising execution. SAP for Consumer Products supports your key marketing processes. Brand management, develop brand plans to manage brand equity, drive market share, and enhance brand performance and profitability. Program and campaign management, align programs with brand strategies, improve program and campaign execution efficiency, and capture and manage total go-to-market costs by ensuring that programs and campaigns are aligned with trade promotion plans. To profitably differentiate your operations and offerings from those of your key competitors. You must integrate end-to-end visibility into all your activities – establishing an organizational culture of operational excellence by dismantling and preventing silos, assimilating and obeying legal and industry regulations, outlining and instilling ethical practices, and introducing and instituting a holistic view of enterprise operations.

What Are the Benefits? Improved on-shelf availability Forecast accuracy to capture spontaneous customer demand Improved global cost management Faster response to market changes and operational events, such as shifts in demand and supply chain disruptions resulting in better customer service and satisfaction Flexibility Exploit opportunities for growth through mergers and acquisitions, geographic expansion, or new business models or channels Reduced inventory cycle times Corresponding reductions in inventory levels, sell-offs, write offs, scrap, loss, or supply disruptions Financial management Increase working capital, improve profits, and achieve corporate governance. Customer relationship management, Acquire new customers, retain them, and develop long-term, profitable relationships. Supply chain management Effectively and efficiently source materials, manufacture products, and deliver orders. Gain control over performance, improve visibility, and adjust plans to maximize results. Gain agility to implement superior business models and profit from market opportunities. Strengthen partnerships and collaboration internally and externally. Have real-time insight Across your entire extended enterprise, improve efficiency across global operations, and enter new markets.