SAP Launches Awards Program to Recognize Leadership and Excellence in Industry Best Practices

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SAP AG today announced that Siemens VDO Automotive and Wacker Chemical Corporation are the inaugural recipients of the new SAP Industry Leadership Awards. The awards program, which launches this year, recognizes SAP customers that demonstrate business process excellence through adoption and application of industry best practices. Award winners are selected based upon the highest average best-practices scores from the Americas' SAP Users' Group (ASUG) and SAP benchmarking and best practices surveys. The SAP Industry Leadership Awards are being presented to representatives of Siemens VDO Automotive and Wacker Chemical Corporation at the SAP Americas annual field sales kick-off meeting, being held in Las Vegas, Nevada, January 14-18.

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"We established the SAP Industry Leadership Awards to give recognition to those customers who are leaders in their field, and to show our appreciation for their commitment to the SAP solutions that help them achieve business excellence," said Bill McDermott, CEO, SAP Americas. "I am pleased to recognize both Siemens VDO Automotive and Wacker Chemical as inaugural winners of the SAP Industry Leadership Award, and I personally want to thank them for their long-standing confidence in SAP in partnering with us to help realize their business objectives. Both organizations are proven leaders in the manufacturing industry and are preeminent examples of the success that comes with the practical application of industry best practices."

With an initial focus on the manufacturing industry, the SAP Industry Leadership Awards evaluates customers based on the importance they place on industry best practices, and on the level of deployment they have reached to achieve those best practices. Companies from both the process manufacturing and discrete manufacturing models were judged on best practices such as quality management, environmental health and safety, manufacturing integration and plant maintenance. The winners, Siemens VDO Automotive and Wacker Chemical, represent the leading survey participants in the manufacturing industry. SAP will be announcing additional winners representing various industries over the coming months.

"We deployed SAP technology in 2002 and it has revolutionized our business process infrastructure," said Paul Borror, manager, SAP Center of Competence North America at Siemens VDO Automotive. "It serves as the foundation upon which our business is run, and a platform to continuously improve and harmonize processes within the region and globally. Additionally, we've been able to rapidly integrate growth and acquisitions. To be recognized as a leader in our industry as a result is truly an honor for myself, our entire project team and Siemens VDO Automotive as a whole."

"Wacker Chemical is honored to receive the SAP Industry Leadership Award," said Joachim J. Reichel, CIO, Wacker Chemical. "By leveraging SAP software, Wacker Chemical has realized efficiencies that allow us to adhere to business process best practices that have resulted in significant overall improvement of our business. We are proud to be recognized as one of the first winners of this award and look forward to many more years of success in the chemical industry leveraging our partnership with SAP along the way."

The ASUG/SAP Benchmarking and Best Practices Program

Beginning in 2005, ASUG and SAP have collaborated on a number of benchmarking programs to help customers compare their organizations' key performance indicators (KPIs) with best-in-class KPIs. The programs provide a unique opportunity for organizations to assess areas of excellence and determine those for improvement. They allow participants to learn about current and emerging best practices and to quickly adopt ideas fueling excellence at world-class organizations. Participation in the programs is free. More than 400 SAP customers have participated in the benchmarking and best practices program since its introduction, with more the 650 studies completed.

About the Americas' SAP Users' Group (ASUG)

The Americas' SAP Users' Group (ASUG(R)) is an independent, volunteer-run organization that facilitates knowledge transfer among the community of SAP customers by providing user-driven educational opportunities, professional networking and a forum that provides insight and influence to SAP. ASUG maintains a unique position within the SAP community through its: combination of highly-focused education tools; access to subject matter experts and SAP executives; ability to influence SAP products and services; and personal networking opportunities with SAP customers. As a result, members from any sized organization continuously solve their SAP-related business problems more efficiently and cost-effectively, realizing a significant return from their membership. (Additional information at http://www.asug.com/)

About SAP

SAP is the world's leading provider of business software*. Today, more than 36,200 customers in more than 120 countries run SAP(R) applications -- from distinct solutions addressing the needs of small and midsize enterprises to suite offerings for global organizations. Powered by the SAP NetWeaver(R) platform to drive innovation and enable business change, SAP software helps enterprises of all sizes around the world improve customer relationships, enhance partner collaboration and create efficiencies across their supply chains and business operations. SAP solution portfolios support the unique business processes of more than 25 industries, including high tech, retail, financial services, healthcare and the public sector. With subsidiaries in more than 50 countries, the company is listed on several exchanges, including the Frankfurt stock exchange and NYSE under the symbol "SAP." (Additional information at < http://www.sap.com/ >)

(*) SAP defines business software as comprising enterprise resource planning and related applications such as supply chain management, customer relationship management, product life-cycle management and supplier relationship management.

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