News
SWAN reports 13 percent increase in sales
15.12.2022
Project house for SAP logistics achieves targets for 2022 and enters the new year with confidence
SWAN GmbH looks back on a successful year. Despite the economic and political challenges, the project house for SAP logistics expects sales to increase by 13 percent year-on-year by the end of the current year. Important milestones towards this goal were the successful completion of the integration of the SAP division of the SSI Schäfer Group into the company, which began in 2021, the expansion of the SWAN management team and the founding of SWAN AT in Graz, Austria. In addition to the successful project business in the area of SAP EWM in the automotive, food & beverages, pharmaceutical and fashion industries, the company focused on the consistent expansion of the SAP Transportation Management (SAP TM) division in 2022. For 2023, the project house is also aiming to further sharpen its product portfolio and corporate values. As in 2022, high investments in employee training and development are again on the agenda.
SWAN is more than satisfied with an expected increase in sales of 13 percent to more than 14 million euros compared to the previous year and more than 50 active customers in the Customer Lifecycle Service. »Tense markets, supply bottlenecks and rising energy and raw material prices also influence our work. Due to the high level of commitment of the entire SWAN team and the trusting cooperation with our customers, we mastered the associated delays in the projects with confidence and are looking forward to the coming year with optimism,« says Alexander Bernhard, Managing Director of SWAN GmbH.
Customer base grows worldwide
The most significant challenges also resulted in the greatest successes. SWAN implemented SAP-EWM intralogistics solutions for numerous international companies in the automotive, pharmaceutical, fashion and food industries. In addition to intralogistics solutions for new warehouse buildings, the majority of orders included the retrofit of existing facilities. Andreas Brand, authorized signatory and Director of SAP Realization at SWAN: »Particularly in projects in the automotive industry, implementing SAP EWM solutions during ongoing operations was a special challenge. However, we were always able to overcome this due to our extensive expertise – at no time have production lines had to come to a standstill.«
The many follow-up projects are an expression of the high level of customer satisfaction beyond the go-live. »We not only acquired numerous new customers, but also intensified our cooperation with satisfied existing customers,« says Andreas Simon, Director SAP Sales at SWAN GmbH.
Expansion of management team and office locations
In August, SWAN expanded its management team. In addition to the authorized signatories Yvonne Oehme and Kai Starke, Andreas Brand received power of attorney. Together with Managing Director Alexander Bernhard, they form the institutionalized management team in the SWAN Executive Board. With the promotion of Martin Fröschl as Director SAP TM, SWAN positioned itself more strongly in the area of SAP Transportation Management, which SWAN is continuously expanding. With the founding of SWAN AT GmbH in Graz and the establishment of a local consulting and service team in Mexico, the project house for SAP logistics took further steps toward internationalization.
Focus on employee training and well-being
The successful course of the last few years has allowed SWAN to grow to over 140 employees at seven locations. Most recently, the branch in Nuremberg received a large-scale expansion. The previous site in Altenstadt a. d. Waldnaab moved into a larger and more energy-efficient new building in nearby Weiden. The new premises meet the needs of modern, flexible working models in the context of SWAN’s New Work philosophy and deliberately create areas for personal collaboration and communication.
Training and continuing education have always played a central role at SWAN. The high quality standard is reflected in the »European Training Award 2022«, which SWAN won in the category »Hybrid/Blended Training« for its hybrid training concept for managers. The initiator of the award is the Professional Association for Training, Consulting and Coaching (BDVT e.V.). In addition, the in-house SWAN Academy offers its trainees, career changers and long-term employees the opportunity to expand their expertise at any time. With further employee-friendly initiatives such as the assumption of childcare costs, flexible working arrangements and modern company car models for all employees, the company is investing in its team in other areas.
Finally, the concept of the subsidiary SWAN Consultancy GmbH has become well established and is posting moderate growth. SWAN responded to the increasing shortage of skilled workers in the IT industry by founding the subsidiary back in 2019. The company places IT specialists and digitalization experts with a focus on SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, and IT project and change management with customers from all industries.
Outlook 2023: The signs point to further growth
With well-filled order books and promising digitization projects, SWAN is looking to the new year with optimism and motivation. Strategically, the topics »Values« and »Expansion of the product portfolio« are on the agenda. As part of a large-scale values program with intensive workshops, SWAN management would like all employees to participate in the further development of the company’s philosophy and values. SWAN also plans to further sharpen its already strong product portfolio. This will even better meet the changing needs and requirements of future digitization projects in logistics.