Leifheit

Initial situation

Leifheit operates production and logistics sites across several European countries and sells its products worldwide. The existing SAP landscape comprised nine sites, a single client, and around 30 add-ons and interfaces. The challenge was to migrate to SAP S/4HANA in just nine months – an ambitious target.

Solution

After evaluating all available options, Leifheit decided on a fast-track transformation: a brownfield conversion in the SAP Private Cloud based on the RISE with SAP model. The project was planned in detail, with clearly defined milestones and close collaboration between the internal IT team, key users and the new partner, Hicron. Both teams pursued a shared objective: meeting the ambitious timeline. Flexibility and daily alignment were key factors in the project’s success.

Project timeline

• March 2025 – Readiness & Project start
  Preparation of all conversion activities and validation of system readiness; completion of the readiness check.
• April 2025 – Technical preparation & tooling setup
  Setup of the conversion environment, execution of technical preparations, and final alignment of the detailed project roadmap.
• September 2025 – Sandbox & development conversion
  Conversion of the sandbox systems and successful execution of functional tests by Leifheit. This was followed by the S/4HANA conversion of the development system; functional tests were successfully validated and approved.
• Oktober 2025 – Quality conversion
  Conversion of the Q system.
• November 2025 – Test completion & go-live
  Completion of SIT and UAT with no critical defects; go-live as scheduled.

Results

• Successful SAP S/4HANA conversion completed in just nine months
  (project start in March, go-live in November 2025)
• Migration of nine sites and integration of 30 add-ons and interfaces
• Downtime of only 80 hours
• No significant process disruptions after go-live
• Hypercare phase completed after just three weeks

This has enabled Leifheit to establish a solid foundation for future process harmonization as well as increased innovation capability and operational efficiency across the organization.

Five success factors

1. Focus instead of compromise: If you want to reach the summit, detours are not an option. Clear prioritization of core processes, a well-defined team structure and tight project governance were critical.
2. Brownfield is not only a core SAP project: Technical migration requires solid organization, thorough preparation and the right setup on both sides.
3. Communication as a success factor: Transparency and regular alignment kept the project on track at all times.
4. The right service provider: The partner must consistently follow the chosen path and be able to adapt to the given structures and constraints.
5. The courage to start: Transformation does not begin with perfection, but with the first step—and the willingness to adapt along the way.

We took the bold step of starting the project with a completely new partner from Poland, Hicron. The decision was exactly right. What impressed us most was the technical excellence and the speed at which Hicron identified and resolved challenges. In the end, it also takes courage to get started.

Torsten Gaul, Head of Group IT, Leifheit

Why Hicron?

• Proven fast-track delivery model
• Deep expertise in brownfield transformations and SAP RISE Private Cloud
• High responsiveness enabled by daily sync meetings
• Strong discipline in scope and governance, with a clear focus on core processes and well-defined quality gates
• High level of technical delivery reliability in complex landscapes with numerous add-ons and integrations