Headquartered in Nuuk and 100% owned by the Government of Greenland, Royal Greenland is modernizing its �鶹ԭ�� platform and moving from on premise to cloud ERP in order to future‑proof core processes and unlock embedded AI across its �鶹ԭ�� business applications.

“We are moving from our existing setup to �鶹ԭ�� Cloud ERP and �鶹ԭ�� Business Data Cloud because we want access to the capabilities you can consume on a cloud platform,” said Lars Bo Hassinggaard, CIO at Royal Greenland for more than 25 years.

The company brings high‑quality wild‑caught fish and shellfish from the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean to consumers worldwide. It has been running �鶹ԭ�� since 1998 but is now embarking on its most significant transition to date: migrating �鶹ԭ�� ERP Central Component to �鶹ԭ�� Cloud ERP while simultaneously elevating its business intelligence (BI) landscape into �鶹ԭ�� Business Data Cloud and later transforming BI into �鶹ԭ�� Datasphere.

The project follows the structured RISE with �鶹ԭ�� framework, which consolidates platform transformation, operations, and the innovation cycle into one contract.

Lean, selective data transition: 90% fewer data to move

As part of the migration, Royal Greenland is reducing its data volume significantly using the “Lean Selective Data Transition” method.

“We are keeping 10 years of data and cleaning up, so we avoid outdated company codes and historical data that no longer create value,” Hassinggaard explained. “We’ve achieved a 90% reduction in what needs to be stored and migrated. The method combines data analysis, scoping, and standardized mapping objects in a guided process, ensuring that Royal Greenland only carries forward what is truly necessary, making the financials of the transformation more predictable and avoiding unnecessary complexity.”

Technology first, innovation next

Go‑live is planned for March 1, 2027. The year 2026 is dedicated to the platform lift itself. From 2027, Royal Greenland will begin building business‑driven improvements on top of the standardized core—for example, new user interfaces and process optimization using small AI agents within finance and administration.

“Royal Greenland and �鶹ԭ�� have worked together since 1998, and we look forward to getting started on the technical part of the platform uplift this January,” Hassinggaard shared. “We’re keeping the transformation as simple as possible for now and will use 2027 to activate the benefits, such as improved data analysis, better user experience, and more efficient work processes.”

Royal Greenland is following a classic waterfall approach and has already established a “golden shell” as the basis for further configuration and retrofitting.

�鶹ԭ�� is responsible for implementing the cloud solution, which will run on Microsoft Azure, initially in Sweden, with the option to move later to a Danish data center. External advisor Spektra Analytics has supported contract validation.

From in‑house experiments to standardized, “consumed” AI

Although Royal Greenland has already successfully experimented with its own AI solutions, including vision‑based projects in production, the strategic direction ahead is to leverage embedded, standardized AI data products from �鶹ԭ�� and models built on the �鶹ԭ�� Business Data Cloud and its semantic data layer.

“We are a company that prefers to tap into existing AI solutions rather than invent them ourselves,” Hassinggaard said. “It’s far more efficient for us. There is no reason for us to spend resources reinventing what �鶹ԭ�� already provides. The initial focus will be on process optimization within administrative functions such as finance—small AI agents that can streamline daily work.”

Advice to others: Allocate more time, and understand your method

Hassinggaard is clear that the RISE with �鶹ԭ�� contract, methodology, and preparation work require time and organizational maturity. His advice to other companies facing a similar cloud ERP decision: “Do it thoroughly—and allocate more time than you think. Study the methodology, pricing, and contracts. And bring a competent advisor on board.”

Ellen Vig Nelausen is an integrated communications expert for �鶹ԭ�� Regional Communications.

With sales to 86 countries, 450 employees from more than 30 nationalities, and production of vital vaccines against diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, tuberculosis, and bladder cancer, AJ Vaccines is a significant player in global vaccine preparedness.

Since the Statens Serum Institut (SSI) sold its vaccine production in 2017 and it was taken over by AJ Vaccines, the organization has transitioned from a public entity to a private pharmaceutical company based in Copenhagen.

From legacy to cloud and compliance

After the divestment from SSI, AJ Vaccines inherited an �鶹ԭ�� system from the late 1990s, which was designed more for a public health organization than a pharmaceutical company.

“We were left with an outdated system that didn’t really fit our needs as a private player in a global market,” Michael Kvistholm, head of IT at AJ Vaccines, said. “That’s why we decided to go all-in on a cloud solution with �鶹ԭ�� S/4HANA Cloud. We carried out a pure standard implementation from scratch (greenfield) in a RISE with �鶹ԭ�� setup and now have a modern, flexible, and scalable cloud ERP platform that supports our entire business.”

The decision was made to ensure a platform that matches the company’s needs and future growth.

“We have reduced our technological debt and consolidated our systems, gaining a more intuitive and user-friendly platform so we can work more efficiently and securely—while also meeting the high standards for quality, traceability, and documentation required in our industry,” he explained.

Everyday examples: efficiency and user-friendliness

Since implementing in October 2025, AJ Vaccines has gained a unified platform that creates new opportunities to optimize and integrate processes across the company. The solution provides a solid foundation for better data quality and workflows, enabling improved management, increased transparency, and more effective decision-making.

The IT department has gained an overview and reduced complexity with �鶹ԭ�� LeanIX, a tool for mapping and managing the company’s entire application landscape and ensuring governance across both �鶹ԭ�� and non-�鶹ԭ�� solutions. �鶹ԭ�� Cloud ALM is used for project management and lifecycle management, so releases, testing, and documentation are handled efficiently, and compliance is always top-notch.

During the implementation, AJ Vaccines used �鶹ԭ�� Signavio and based its approach on �鶹ԭ�� standard processes, which brought several advantages.

“We’ve saved a lot of hours by using standard test cases from �鶹ԭ�� Signavio, which is our platform for process mapping, modelling, and optimization,” said Kvistholm. “We’ll also use these tools for other projects across the company.”

At the same time, �鶹ԭ�� Enable Now—for change management and end-user training—has made learning for existing staff and onboarding new employees easier.

“We’ve created over 100 training videos so all employees can quickly find answers and learn new workflows—it’s been a huge success,” Kvistholm confirmed.

Kvistholm also looks forward to early 2026, when the recruitment process will be digitized with �鶹ԭ�� SuccessFactors. Finally, he and his team will carefully consider the new opportunities created by �鶹ԭ�� Business Technology Platform. The platform enables rapid development and integration of new solutions and apps, allowing IT to support business needs flexibly, and, among other things, consolidate other platforms: “There’s really no reason to pay double,” as Kvistholm put it.

Change management and the foundation for the future

AJ Vaccines is focused on formalizing its superuser organization and strengthening governance around master data.

“We need to clean everything up and keep things in order,” Kvistholm said. “�鶹ԭ�� has become the foundation for our continued digitalization. From now on, it’s about seeing how we can get �鶹ԭ�� spread even more out throughout the company.”

Advice for other companies

Kvistholm emphasized the importance of management support and a narrow scope: “It’s about staying focused and achieving a fundamental implementation—and then continuously carrying out smaller improvement projects. That is and will be the key to our success.”

Ellen Vig Nelausen is an integrated communications expert for �鶹ԭ�� Regional Communications.

Ahlstrom is a large international manufacturer of specialty materials, with 36 plants around the world and about 7,000 employees. The company’s strategy is to be a global leader in its field.

The business transformation project, called Stella, is the largest single investment in company history. Its purpose is to transfer operations, except HR and product development, to the new �鶹ԭ�� S/4HANA Cloud environment. The old group business system dated back to the 1990s and no longer met the needs of global manufacturing. Ahlstrom also uses �鶹ԭ�� Ariba for its procurement, which had already been implemented.

“�鶹ԭ�� S/4HANA Cloud was clearly the best solution for us, especially for production management and planning,” shared Ahlstrom CIO Kristiina Lammila, who is responsible for the project. “With it, we can harmonize our operations and bring all our plants under the same system.”

Unifying systems and data

One of the main challenges of the project was integrating different systems and unifying fragmented data. With modernization, processes can be streamlined, daily work made easier, and time freed up for more strategically important tasks.

“We have managed to make significant progress with �鶹ԭ�� S/4HANA Cloud standard solution,” Lammila said. “We use private cloud, which also allows for fairly flexible modifications. One plant is already live, and next year seven more plants will join. The goal is to complete the entire transformation within five years.”

According to Lammila, the system enables flexible transfer of production from one plant to another and global optimization of the supply chain.

Benefits for both employees and customers

systems benefit all stakeholders. Streamlined production processes reduce waste and improve quality. Harmonized purchasing brings savings and the most visible change for Ahlstrom’s customers is smoother supply chains and better availability of products. The use of AI and analytics is expanding. Especially in sales support, AI solutions built on �鶹ԭ�� Sales Cloud data are already in use at Ahlstrom.

“We can integrate even more closely with our customers, as many of them also use �鶹ԭ��,” Lammila explained. “This facilitates and streamlines the flow of information between companies.”

From the employee’s perspective, �鶹ԭ�� S/4HANA Cloud makes teamwork easier. For example, order and inventory balances can be checked conveniently based on real-time data. Lammila also pointed out that the updated system supports employer branding, as job seekers expect to have appropriate and up-to-date tools at their disposal.

Strong change leadership is key to success

Lammila advises companies planning similar projects to approach transformations as comprehensive initiatives that must engage all employees, including management, not just the IT department.

“Strong management commitment and a shared vision of where we are going and how to get there are needed. The project must be led as a deep transformation, and the end result must not be compromised due to haste. Poorly executed work is difficult to fix later,” she concluded.

Ellen Vig Nelausen is an integrated communications expert for �鶹ԭ�� Regional Communications.