Case Study ► Life Sciences
Reducing IT support costs with a dedicated Syntax SAP AMS model
Partnering for success:
Syntax becomes an extended office for Univar Solutions
Univar Solutions is a leading global specialty chemical and ingredient distributor representing a premier portfolio from the world’s leading producers. The IT team at Univar Solutions is always looking to maximize their value and helping the company become the most valued chemical and ingredient distributer on the planet. As the IT team approached the end of a long-term sourcing agreement, they were looking at options to improve their capability and value. They partnered with Syntax to create a dedicated AMS model supporting SAP, Salesforce, as well as infrastructure areas.
Customer Profile
Name: Univar Solutions
Corporate HQ: Downers Grove, Illinois
Primary IT Office: The Woodlands, Texas
Industry: Chemicals and Distribution
Project highlights
Syntax team members supporting Univar Solutions, participated in the following projects:
– Helped with significant divestiture, including cloning the SAP, Salesforce, and supporting application environments
– Network design and implementation as the result of a significant acquisition
– Application of security patches and upgrades for Univar Solutions’ B2B commerce package
Syntax dedicated AMS team provides same time zone support across ERP (SAP, JD Edwards, or Oracle EBS)
Syntax’s dedicated AMS team in Puebla, Mexico with its functional and technical application management knowledge could help address this business challenge. Syntax low cost, high touch, and “nearshore” AMS model helped Univar Solutions successfully utilize a number of benefits not offered through the traditional “farshore” India support model. Univar Solutions received benefits from Syntax including same time zone support with zero delay for SAP application assistance, receiving dedicated, named AMS resources rather than a pooled model of resources, excellent language support with a strong command of the English language, and cultural proximity.
Syntax’s AMS team are full-time Syntax employees who are 100% focused on serving Univar Solutions for their daily management of their functional and technical modules, becoming an “extended office” in Puebla, Mexico for Univar Solutions.
“We always seek to add the most valuable resource to the team. We have a great blend of local resources and nearshore with our partner Syntax. Every individual on our team brings a unique value, but in general we see around 85% of the productivity from our extended team at Puebla, compared to the productivity we have with our United States-based consultants, at around 65% of the cost.”
Pat Jerding
Senior Vice President & CIO
Univar Solutions
Univar Solutions & Syntax:
A successful, long-term partnership
Syntax has established a great business relationship with top management at Univar Solutions´ IT organization. The Syntax dedicated AMS model provides the flexibility that Univar Solutions looks for in a partner. Univar Solutions’ main office for IT, located in Houston, Texas, and Syntax’s office in Puebla, Mexico share the same time zone so there are no delays in IT deliverables and responses between the two organizations. The Syntax Puebla, Mexico office is only a two-hour flight from Houston, therefore making traveling back and forth between the offices for in-person meetings easier. If you had to fly between Houston to an office in India, it could take more than 20 hours and you would lose a full day of work in traveling between the locations. Also, India’s time zone is 10 hours ahead of Houston’s time zone so there are significant time zone differences which would impact the IT operating model.
