How DXC Fast RISE with SAP Accelerates Mining M&A

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are key strategic tools for growth and consolidation in the capital-intensive mining sector. Take the example of the Australian mining company Whitehaven that acquired two major mining sites. The acquisition suddenly gave it 2,200 new employees who needed to be paid correctly and integrated safely.

The acquisition also brought over 150 operational applications, spanning finance, supply chain, and asset management, scattered across legacy systems that didn’t communicate with each other. Moreover, Whitehaven had a non-negotiable six-month deadline to integrate the new mines without interrupting production.

Whitehaven was therefore faced with the task of integrating complex systems, cultures, and operational frameworks of two organisations. It also had to navigate legacy applications, ensure regulatory compliance, manage workforce transitions, and maintain supply chain continuity, all while upholding production and safety standards.

The Critical Role of ERP Modernisation

This integration challenge Whitehaven faced is common in the mining sector, and it is here where most M&A value is either won or lost.

To address this, Whitehaven partnered with DXC Technology, a Fortune 500 global systems integrator, which has developed DXC Fast RISE with SAP. This solution is specifically designed to simplify and accelerate the migration to SAP S/4HANA in the cloud.

By leveraging SAP S/4HANA, DXC enables mining companies to unify their core business processes, including finance, procurement, supply chain, asset management, HR, and payroll. Moreover, using proprietary tools and proven accelerators, DXC’s team of certified SAP engineers can migrate sites in under 12 months, enhancing visibility and accelerating transformation.

A Blueprint for Success

In the case of Whitehaven, DXC delivered the complex transition within the required six-month timeframe. The result was uninterrupted production, streamlined payroll for all 2,200 employees, and enhanced supply chain coordination. Beyond the technical implementation, DXC also provided strategic guidance and change management. This included robust security protocols to protect sensitive data and ensure regulatory compliance, another critical concern during M&A.

Finally, by establishing a unified SAP S/4HANA cloud foundation, companies are also better positioned to deploy advanced technologies explored at DXC’s global Mining Innovation Centre (MIC), such as AI, spatial computing, and remote operating centers. This modern ERP foundation drives long-term value by improving safety, sustainability, and asset performance.

What This Means for Mastering SAP Insiders

M&A integration speed is now measured in months, not years. Mining operations often involve complex joint ventures and rapid acquisitions. Therefore, a multi-year ERP rollout is no longer viable for this sector. For Mastering SAP Insiders in this industry, solutions like DXC Fast RISE with SAP can shorten the timeline to bring a new site online with a unified SAP S/4HANA instance to under 12 months. As the Whitehaven case study proves, rapid, repeatable, and low-risk transformation is achievable. This allows SAP leaders to provide a clear, aggressive, and proven timeline to the board.

A unified ERP is the core of a people and safety-centric strategy. In mining M&A, the focus is often on assets and systems, but the biggest hurdle is often the human element. Managing a large, distributed, and highly regulated workforce is a primary challenge. Additionally, a disconnected ERP landscape with different HR, payroll, and safety protocols poses a direct risk to compliance and operational continuity. DXC’s ability to unify HR, payroll, and asset management is a central tool for change management. It ensures streamlined payroll from day one for all new employees, while a single view of asset management and operations upholds safety standards across all sites.

Your SAP S/4HANA migration is the foundation for next-gen operations. The move to SAP S/4HANA builds the data-driven platform required for future-state mining. While APAC’s mining industry is a world leader in automation and remote operations, it cannot run advanced AI, spatial computing, or remote operating centers if data is trapped in 150 different legacy applications. The DXC Fast RISE with SAP solution creates the scalable, cloud-based foundation and real-time analytics capabilities that these advanced technologies demand. By working with partners like DXC that have a dedicated Mining Innovation Centre (MIC), mining companies can ensure their migration project becomes the essential first step toward a long-term strategy for improved safety, sustainability, and asset performance.