Barco has reached an important milestone in its innovation strategy with the successful implementation of SAP S/4HANA, SAP Business Technology Platform and SAP Signavio. The transition to a next-generation ERP platform is a strategic step in realising Barco’s ambitious growth plans. The system offers the agility, efficiency and speed in decision-making needed to support their growth in a sustainable and scalable way.
Strategic step towards sustainable growth
Barco’s choice for SAP S/4HANA was driven by the need for a future-proof IT environment that would significantly improve operational efficiency and enable faster, more data-driven decision-making. This enables Barco to respond even better to dynamic market conditions. By integrating itself on the innovative SAP platform, Barco secures access to the latest technologies, which are essential for future growth and maintaining a competitive advantage.
Modern technology, key to talent retention
Technological innovation was not the only motivation. Barco’s transition to SAP S/4HANA and the implementation of tools such as SAP Signavio and SAP Business Technology Platform also strengthens its position as an attractive employer. In a competitive labour market, it is important that top talent can work with state-of-the-art technology. Working in a modern SAP environment not only benefits internal teams but also appeals to new generations of professionals.
‘This transformation involves much more than a technological upgrade. It is a strategic investment in innovation, people and growth. It enables us to innovate faster, collaborate more efficiently and be more attractive as an employer,’ says David Peirs, IT Programme Manager at Barco. ‘Thanks to strong cross-departmental collaboration, clear goals and a clear, strong change management plan, we were able to successfully meet this challenge.’
The implementation, which took only ten months, was carried out in collaboration with technology partner Expertum, which has been Barco’s partner for over ten years. In addition to technical and functional support, Expertum also provided governance, test scenarios and train-the-trainer sessions.
Promising results since going live
Since going live in February 2025, the initial results have been promising. Barco is witnessing stable system performance, improved process insights via SAP Signavio and a sharper focus on customisation thanks to the clean core strategy.
The next phase expands on this, with an emphasis on standardisation via the ‘fit-to-standard’ principle and further automation with WalkMe/SAP Build. WalkMe will allow to take important steps towards smoother onboarding and user-friendliness for employees.
A key challenge for the future is the migration of 18 countries that are currently still using SAP Business ByDesign. The transition to the central SAP S/4HANA environment will further strengthen Barco’s global harmonisation and scalability. The first seven countries have now been migrated to SAP S/4HANA.
Balancing customer focus, innovation and collaboration
The transformation project underscores Barco’s ambitions by seamlessly connecting customer focus, innovation and collaboration. By simplifying and automating processes, Barco is increasing its speed and agility, something customers notice immediately.
As such, customer orientation is the starting point for improvement. With this solid foundation, Barco can innovate in a targeted manner. Thanks to SAP Signavio, priorities are clearly defined and the focus remains strong. This shapes impactful innovation and creates momentum, an acceleration that can only be achieved through collaboration. Informing and involving employees in a timely manner creates commitment and ownership. That is where a winning collaboration makes all the difference and ensures that the SAP S/4HANA platform is not just rolled out, but also effectively used.
People-oriented approach, a success formula
A human-minded approach is crucial to success. The ambitious project involves 3,200 employees and requires more than just good planning – it requires genuine cooperation. Believing in a clear, targeted planning brought focus, while open communication was the driving force behind the joint success.
The initial results underline the potential of the new platform, while next steps are geared towards further process optimisation and scalability.
David Peirs concludes: ‘The people-oriented approach – in which cooperation and involvement are key – shows that a digital transformation can be successful not only technically, but also organisationally, by putting people and the organisation first.’
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Charlotte is based in Belgium.
