Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha
Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) migrated its core accounting system to SAP S/4HANA® Cloud Public Edition to revamp its internal system infrastructure, aiming to achieve advanced management through AI utilization. SIGMAXYZ Inc. (SIGMAXYZ) supported this initiative in collaboration with SAP Japan Co., Ltd. and other partners. The new operations and system began operating in July 2025 and have been running stably.
NYK Line, a comprehensive logistics enterprise centered on one of the world's largest marine transportation businesses, launched a management infrastructure renewal project to realize data-driven management—enabling rapid decision-making based on data. As part of this initiative, the "Financial/Accounting Operations and Systems Next-Generation Project" standardized operations across the entire group by migrating the core accounting systems of its headquarters and approximately 350 domestic and overseas subsidiaries (including Special Purpose Companies for ship ownership) to SAP S/4HANA® Cloud Public Edition. This project represents one of the largest scales of SAP S/4HANA® Cloud Public Edition introduction in Japan, achieving extensive operational integration. Furthermore, this is the first case in Japan (as of December 2025) to standardize advanced financial functions such as Treasury and Risk Management (TRM) and In-House Banking (IHB) on the same system, positioning it as one of the most advanced projects globally.
The key to the project's success was the strict adherence to the "Fit to Standard" approach, which is the business standardization method recommended by SAP (changing business processes to align with the standard functions of the system). This initiative successfully reduced the number of add-on developments (custom features added to suit specific operations) from approximately 450 to about 10% of the original number. By establishing a "Clean Core" environment (an environment maintained with standard functions without developing additional functions for the main system), the company is now equipped to adapt swiftly to regular global version updates. In fact, a smooth uptake of the global version update conducted shortly after the system went live was successfully completed without requiring major modifications, thereby maximizing the benefits of the cloud.
SIGMAXYZ promoted the overall project alongside NYK Line, working in close collaboration with NYK Line and partner companies. SIGMAXYZ is highly regarded for successfully balancing the standardization of complex operations with the implementation of SAP S/4HANA® Cloud Public Edition, leveraging its extensive track record in projects and deep knowledge of maritime shipping operations to execute "Fit to Standard" business transformation.
Going forward, NYK Line will continue to standardize operations and incorporate the latest technologies through version updates of the system, utilizing the "Clean Core" environment established through standardization. The company will leverage Generative AI to automate routine tasks and promote a shift towards more advanced analysis, judgment, and proposal-based work. SIGMAXYZ will continue to support NYK Line as its “Sherpa,” aiding in the company’s operational standardization and the further enhancement of its management infrastructure.