How MTS doubled SAP performance with SK
Case study
MTS
SAP hosting for a complex
retail and brand structure.
For the MTS Group, SAP is a central part of day-to-day operations. With several locations, a broad product range and significant e-commerce activities, the company needs SAP infrastructure that remains reliably available, performs well and supports change in a controlled manner.
Since 2024, SK has operated the MTS Group’s SAP systems in certified data centers using a hosting model that combines stability, performance and clear operational responsibility.
Company
MTS MarkenTechnikService GmbH & Co. KG
Industry
Branded products for bicycles and automotive parts, car care and other accessories
Starting point
Change of hosting provider within a complex SAP and IT landscape
SK services
SAP hosting, system migration, operations in ISO/IEC 27001-certified data centers and performance optimization
Controlled transition, minimal disruption, stable operations and a noticeable improvement in performance
The starting
point
New requirements for
hosting, operations and availability
The MTS Group operates a diverse IT landscape that includes SAP, a custom-developed warehouse management system and Microsoft solutions running partly on premises and partly in the cloud. The company deliberately relies on external hosting for its business-critical SAP systems.
“In addition to SAP, we use a custom-developed warehouse management system and Microsoft solutions that run partly on premises and partly in the cloud. We deliberately chose external hosting for SAP.” — Alban Osterlow, Head of IT at the MTS Group
The hosting provider had to be changed after the previous provider announced its withdrawal from this line of business. MTS was not fundamentally dissatisfied with the existing service, but had encountered individual support issues during upgrades and patches. The task was therefore not simply to switch providers, but to establish a reliable new operating environment for business-critical systems.
Although we were not fundamentally dissatisfied, there were occasional points of criticism, such as support issues during upgrades or patches.” — Alban Osterlow, Head of IT at the MTS Group
MTS chose SK because the company was convinced not only by its technical experience, but also by the way the team worked: close to the actual starting point, attentive in coordination and with clear responsibility for implementation.
“It was immediately clear that SK was genuinely committed to us. With the previous provider, we often felt like we were just a number.” — Alban Osterlow, Head of IT at the MTS Group
Implementation
A controlled move
into a new
operating environment
SK managed the transition of the SAP systems to the new hosting environment. The process was based on structured migration planning with clear responsibilities, technical analysis and close coordination with the MTS IT team.
During the migration, SK did more than transfer the systems. The team also assessed operations, performance and capacity, allowing hardware resources to be sized appropriately and further optimizations to be carried out during ongoing operations.
“The systems were analyzed in detail in advance, including the applications running alongside merchandise management. SK then adjusted the hardware capacity and made further optimizations during ongoing operations, including resetting system parameters.” — Alban Osterlow, Head of IT at the MTS Group
Services at a glance
- Migration of the SAP systems to ISO/IEC 27001-certified data centers
- Establishment of geographic redundancy in line with current BSI standards
- Creation of a stable hosting environment
- Transition with the least possible disruption for users
- Analysis of the existing system landscape
- Adjustment of hardware capacity
- Optimization of system parameters during ongoing operations
- Ongoing SAP Basis support from SK
The result
Greater stability,
better performance and
less operational effort
Operations improved noticeably after the move to SK. The SAP systems run reliably, disruption during the transition remained minimal and individual processes became significantly faster.
“Apart from one very brief service interruption, access to our data and applications remained available throughout.” — Alban Osterlow, Head of IT at the MTS Group
Particularly important for MTS, the SAP system now runs up to twice as fast in some areas. Long-running jobs that previously took one to two hours are now completed in half the time.
“The noticeable performance improvement is particularly impressive. In some areas, the SAP system now runs up to twice as fast as before. Long-running jobs that used to take one to two hours are now completed in half the time.” — Alban Osterlow, Head of IT at the MTS Group
The improvement was also noticed in the business departments.
“It is extremely unusual for users to approach IT proactively to praise system speed.” — Alban Osterlow, Head of IT at the MTS Group
“But that is exactly what happened. Colleagues asked us what we had changed because the system had become noticeably faster.” — Alban Osterlow, Head of IT at the MTS Group
The collaboration
An operating partner
that understands the system landscape
For MTS, the technical implementation was not the only deciding factor. The way the teams worked together mattered as well. SK contributed SAP Basis expertise, hosting experience and the ability to respond quickly to technical issues.
The collaboration shows how important clear contacts, pragmatic decisions and a shared understanding of the system landscape are in SAP Basis operations. This creates an operating model that goes beyond availability and also supports continuous development, optimization and stability in day-to-day operations.
“With SK, we have gained a partner that brings technical expertise and supports us as an equal in day-to-day operations.” — Alban Osterlow, Head of IT at the MTS Group
“This partnership allows us to develop our processes in a focused way and meet our customers’ high expectations.” — Alban Osterlow, Head of IT at the MTS Group
Assessment
Proactive support and
continuous optimization
From SK’s perspective, this case shows how SAP hosting, clear operating structures and continuous optimization can work together. The technical operation is only part of the equation. The collaboration must also relieve the internal IT team while enabling control, transparency and continued development.
“Our close collaboration with MTS is a strong example of how tailored hosting solutions can support business success. We focus on proactive support and continuous optimization to ensure that the IT infrastructure remains stable and keeps pace efficiently with the MTS Group’s growing requirements.”
Gürkan Kondu and Stefan Schrott, Managing Directors of SK
“It is always fascinating to see how genuine partnerships help our customers strengthen the profile of their internal IT teams while our expertise allows them to focus fully on their core business.”
Gürkan Kondu and Stefan Schrott, Managing Directors of SK
What the hosting change
delivered for MTS
At a
glance
- Controlled migration of the SAP systems to a new hosting environment
- Operations in ISO/IEC 27001-certified data centers
- Geographic redundancy in line with current BSI standards
- Minimal disruption during the transition
- Noticeable improvement in system performance
- Shorter runtimes for selected long-running jobs
- Clear technical responsibility for ongoing SAP Basis operations
- A collaborative partnership with the internal IT team
Next
step
SAP hosting begins with
a clear starting point
Whether the issue is a hosting change, performance or new requirements for SAP Basis operations, the existing system landscape must be assessed early. This creates the basis for an operating model that fits the organization, infrastructure and allocation of responsibilities.