Business software provider SAP has announced it has launched a Centre of Excellence for the chemicals industry to offer members business tools including preconfigured software supporting industry-specific best practices.

SAP also said it would offer regional consulting services and a regional collaboration hub for communication and innovation.

Don Mahoney, vice president of SAP’s chemical industry business unit, met with Saudi officials in Riyadh in connection with the launch of the centre. Present at the discussions was Tom Collett, senior vice president of SAP for fast growth markets.

Mahoney said population growth was leading to burgeoning domestic demand for downstream materials used in the production of consumer products and building and construction materials.

“To thrive in this promising and challenging market operational excellence is paramount. SAP is supporting regional chemical companies in driving operational excellence and helping them to become best-run businesses through establishing a Centre of Excellence as a regional hub for collaboration on best practices.”

Keen to support Mena
Abdul-Raheem Bawazeer, managing director, SAP, Saudi Arabia, said 94 per cent of the top 50 global chemical companies and more than 2,600 firms in total ran SAP applications. “With the insight this brings, we are committed to supporting the Mena region in becoming highly efficient chemical producers to rival anywhere else in the world,” said Bawazeer.

“A key aim for SAP is to serve as a trusted advisor for companies in this region, leveraging deep experience gained through its global leadership in chemicals to make every company a best-run business.”

Industry analysts estimated that by 2015 five of the world’s top chemical producers will be based in Saudi Arabia.

One of the company’s offerings is the SAP Business All-in-One for Chemicals solution which is based on the SAP ERP application, combining the methodology, documentation and pre-configuration of the SAP Best Practices for chemicals package with consulting expertise.

SAP has more than 105,000 customers in over 120 countries.

Among officials Mahoney met with were Omar Al Madhi, vice president for energy, Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority (Sagia), and Ahmed Al Yamani, chief technology officer, Sagia.