POLYTECH: With surgical precision

POLYTECH Health & Aesthetics GmbH faced a problem common to many medium-sized companies. Germany’s sole manufacturer of silicone implants for aesthetic surgery was growing rapidly—at an average rate of 15 percent per year. Its existing IT infrastructure could not keep pace with this expansion.
KEK has been supporting the Dieburg-based company since 2021. “The goal is to implement a modern and integrated ERP solution. The challenge at POLYTECH is that it is a medical technology company and therefore operates in an environment subject to validation requirements,” says Anne Hildinger, Managing Director of KEK. Another challenge was the timeline. “The construction of a third production facility put pressure on the timeline.” Thanks to the expert preparation of the requirements specification and extensive experience in this specific field, POLYTECH quickly decided on KEK and, at the same time, on the implementation of SAP S/4HANA.

“The hybrid implementation model, which distinguishes processes based on their GxP relevance, takes into account the environment subject to validation requirements.”
Anne Hildinger, Managing Director of KEK

THE WAR IN UKRAINE REQUIRED A HALT
The objectives had already been defined in the URS (User Requirement Specification). In-house solutions were to be phased out. In addition, the goal was to establish a knowledge management system and to provide optimal support for processes in order to achieve greater satisfaction and security for customers, employees, and partners. In short: The goal was to create greater transparency in the long term. “In June 2021, we began drafting the requirements specification, which was approved six months later.” All previous shortcomings—such as poor information flow, unnecessary duplication and extra work, and a lack of integration—were to be addressed. After calculating the licensing and implementation costs, the bidding process and contract negotiations followed. But the project was abruptly halted: In February 2022, the war in Ukraine broke out, which would have lasting effects on materials and personnel. “A completion date for the new production facility was therefore not foreseeable at the time. Since the ERP solution was intended to support processes under the new circumstances, the implementation was put on hold.”

“The challenge at POLYTECH is that it is a medical technology company, which means implementing an ERP system in an environment that requires validation.”

Anne Hildinger, Executive Director of KEK

DECISION TO USE A PRIVATE CLOUD
A year later, the decision was made to proceed with the project regardless of the new location. Despite a competing offer from a market competitor, POLYTECH continued to rely on KEK, which was considering the operational model: on-premise vs. private cloud. The overall private cloud concept, including SAP’s GxP services, proved convincing, and so, following the signing of the contract in June 2023, the kick-off took place shortly thereafter in July 2023. The unique nature of the environment requiring validation was addressed with a hybrid implementation model. “For GxP-relevant processes, the project will first go through the FS (Functional Specification) phase. Non-GxP-relevant processes will be implemented using an agile project approach—based on SAP Activate. The go-live is now scheduled for January 1, 2025.” 

POLYTECH Health & Aesthetics GmbH, headquartered in Dieburg near Frankfurt, was founded in 1986 and is one of the leading manufacturers of silicone implants for the breasts, buttocks, testicles, and calves. Other products include silicone gels and films for scar treatment, as well as custom-made products. POLYTECH operates in over 80 countries worldwide and continues to grow strongly—at an average rate of 15 percent per year.