Trelleborg’s Partnership with Thor Teknologi in DACH

As businesses throughout the DACH region digitalise and modernise, the demand for SAP talent grows. Skilled professionals, with the expertise to transform organisations’ operations, however, are in short supply, especially those with deep knowledge of data analytics, integration with AI and IoT, and cloud-based solutions. 

Recently, Thor Teknologi was approached to help sourcing SAP specialists for polymer engineering and antivibration solutions specialists Trelleborg who needed S/4HANA talent for its German manufacturing base. Here we look at the challenges involved, and how Thor provided this particular SAP solution.

Bridging The SAP Skills Gap

SAP ERP systems are vital for organisations to streamline their operations and enable digital transformation, offering more agility, efficiency and competitiveness in supply chains, human resources, finance and customer relationship management, among others. They allow seamless collaboration across various departments, enabling unified, real-time analytics and processing, enhancing both operational effectiveness and data-informed decision-making. 

SAP S/4HANA, is the latest SAP development, offering enhanced ERP, and providing real-time data processing, simple business processes and solutions for a wide variety of sectors.

Organisations throughout Europe face a significant range of challenges due to the evolving SAP ecosystem, especially S/4HANA migrations. They include the integration and management of data from a wide range of sources, the adoption of new technologies and processes and, most importantly, the talent with which to achieve their desired goals.

The importance of recruiting top talent for the implementation of these systems, therefore, is vital. However, several factors impact this, including the competitive nature of the DACH recruitment market in which the demand for transformational tech skills continues to grow.

Native language skills remain a significant barrier for professionals seeking to work in the DACH region. Although over half of residents speak English, limited proficiency in German can still lead to communication challenges, particularly during high-level negotiations or technical discussions. While translation apps offer some support, they’re no substitute for fluency. Furthermore, the formality and perceived seriousness of German business culture can deter some candidates who may be unaware that, alongside professionalism, a healthy work-life balance is highly valued in the region.

Inside Trelleborg’s Challenge

Trelleborg approached Thor Teknologi for assistance in recruiting talent for an ambitious internal S/4HANA transformation project. The company was experiencing difficulties in securing top, senior-level consultants due to fierce competition from other local enterprises who were also utilising SAP for transformation programmes. 

The company had repeatedly encountered numerous recruitment challenges including the scarcity of skilled SAP candidates in Germany, particularly senior-level talent who commanded high salaries. In this highly-competitive job market, even direct offers to candidates had resulted in a low acceptance rate. 

While it received numerous applications through its own channels, many applicants neither met the role requirements nor possessed the necessary right-to-work in Germany, leading to a screening process that was time-consuming and frustrating. 

Trelleborg, therefore, turned to Thor Teknologi to take a more strategic approach to securing SAP talent, navigate this complex market and source the right talent quickly and efficiently.

Partnering with Thor Teknologi: A Winning Recruitment Strategy 

Thor Teknologi engaged with Trelleborg to implement a comprehensive recruitment process. Through face-to-face meetings, Thor gained a deep and detailed understanding of the client’s ideal candidate in terms of both skills and culture fit, enabling us to act as an extension to their team, aligning fully with their goals and company culture.

Thor leveraged their network of over 13,000 German tech professionals, as well as contacting candidates they’ve interacted with in the past, to identify suitable, pre-vetted candidates whose skills and experience aligned with the client’s needs. The pre-screening process ensured that the client only received suitably-qualified applicants, backed by detailed overviews. By analysing past employee departures Thor was also able to optimise candidate selection to ensure long-term success. 

The Results

As a result of an intensive recruitment strategy, Thor was able to place 8 candidates within thirteen months, with 8 out of 9 offers being accepted. The delivery time was within 72 hours of each new role being approved within the S/4HANA transformation program. Additionally, every role was closed, with an offer signed, within one month of the job being advertised. Each of these senior experts had an average of 11 years of SAP application experience, meaning that they were able to add value to the existing S/4HANA project ecosystem immediately.

By focusing on those candidates whose experience and skills aligned with the client’s needs Thor achieved a 75% interview rate for proposed candidates, from which 83% of offers were accepted, demonstrating the importance of a deep understanding of the client’s requirements, Thor’s thorough market expertise and their commitment to quality. 

The Outcomes

The success of this partnership demonstrates the value of having a knowledgeable specialist partner to support niche projects.

Thor’s involvement in this project considerably reduced time-to-hire and resulted in substantial cost savings for the client. The impact of the new hires was immediate, thanks to their experience in similar transformation initiatives and, as a result, the company’s ambitious internal S/4HANA transformation project was delivered on time and on budget.

Thor was also involved with the onboarding process for Trelleborg, maximising the company’s ability to retain its new talent and providing the potential for longevity.

Conclusion

The value of partnering with specialist recruitment agencies that understand SAP skill sets and market nuances, together with the benefits of a consultative approach that aligns talent acquisition with business goals cannot be understated. 

Trelleborg overcame its SAP talent shortages by leveraging Thor Teknologi’s extensive network and industry expertise, sourcing ideal candidates in terms of skills and culture fit, pre-vetting candidates to ensure only suitably-qualified applicants made the short-list, and optimising candidate selection to ensure long-term success. 

The rapid acceleration of technological development in the SAP domain serves as a reminder of how quickly tech recruitment changes, and how it must constantly adapt to meet its clients’ needs and requirements. It also points to the importance of constant upskilling for candidates in this constantly-changing sector.

If your business is experiencing struggles with similar challenges, contact us for a consultation. Email us at info@thor-companies.com or fill out our contact form here.