The Challenge

Airbus faced significant operational challenges with their legacy supply chain management:

• Limited visibility across 5,000+ global suppliers
• Manual component tracking causing production delays
• Disconnected systems requiring extensive reconciliation
• No real-time data for critical decision-making
• Compliance tracking was manual and error-prone

With aircraft production schedules measured in years, any delay in component availability had cascading effects on delivery commitments worth hundreds of millions.

The Solution

We designed and implemented a cloud-native supply chain platform on SAP BTP:

Architecture

• CAP-based microservices for supplier management and component tracking
• HANA Cloud for real-time analytics and predictive insights
• Integration Suite connecting to existing S/4HANA and third-party logistics systems
• Fiori Elements providing intuitive interfaces for suppliers and internal teams
• AI Business Services for intelligent document processing and risk detection

Key Features

Real-Time Supplier Portal

Self-service portal allowing suppliers to:

• Update component status and delivery schedules
• Upload compliance certificates and quality documentation
• Receive automated alerts for critical items
• Access production forecasts and demand planning

Predictive Analytics

Machine learning models analyzing:

• Historical delivery patterns
• Supply chain risk factors
• Component availability forecasting
• Alternative supplier recommendations

Integration Layer

Seamless connectivity with:

• S/4HANA for materials management
• Third-party logistics providers
• Quality management systems
• Financial systems for automatic PO processing

Implementation Approach

Phase 1: Foundation (Months 1-2)

• Platform setup and architecture design
• Core CAP services development
• HANA Cloud schema design
• Integration framework establishment

Phase 2: Supplier Portal (Months 3-5)

• Fiori Elements application development
• Pilot with 50 strategic suppliers
• Feedback integration and refinement
• Compliance and security hardening

Phase 3: Analytics & AI (Months 6-7)

• Predictive models training
• Dashboard development
• Risk detection algorithms
• Performance optimization

Phase 4: Rollout (Month 8)

• Full supplier onboarding (850+ companies)
• Training and change management
• Go-live support
• Hypercare and stabilization

Technical Highlights

Scalability

Built to handle:

• 850+ concurrent suppliers
• 50,000+ components tracked
• 1M+ transactions per month
• 99.9% uptime SLA

Security

Enterprise-grade security including:

• Multi-tenant architecture with data isolation
• Role-based access control (RBAC)
• OAuth 2.0 and SAML integration
• Audit logging and compliance reporting

Performance

Optimized for speed:

• < 2 second page load times
• Real-time data synchronization
• Efficient HANA queries using CDS views
• CDN for global access

Business Impact

Quantifiable Results

• Component tracking accuracy improved from 87% to 99.4%
• Supplier response time reduced from days to hours
• Production delays cut by 62% in first 6 months
• Planning cycle reduced from 5 days to 6 hours
• Manual reconciliation eliminated saving 2,000 hours/month

Qualitative Benefits

• Enhanced supplier relationships through transparency
• Improved compliance with aerospace regulations
• Better risk management and mitigation
• Foundation for future supply chain innovations
• Positive feedback from 94% of suppliers

Lessons Learned

What Worked Well

1. Early supplier involvement - Beta testing with key suppliers ensured real-world feedback
2. Incremental rollout - Phased approach minimized risk and allowed course corrections
3. Focus on user experience - Fiori Elements provided consistent, intuitive interface
4. Integration-first mindset - Seamless connectivity with existing systems was critical

Challenges Overcome

1. Data quality - Implemented validation rules and cleanup processes
2. Supplier onboarding - Created self-service guides and video tutorials
3. Performance at scale - Optimized HANA queries and implemented caching strategies
4. Change management - Executive sponsorship and clear communication were essential

Technology Deep Dive

CAP Architecture

├── srv/
│   ├── supplier-service.cds    # Supplier management
│   ├── component-service.cds   # Component tracking
│   ├── analytics-service.cds   # Reporting & insights
│   └── integration-service.cds # External system integration
├── db/
│   ├── schema.cds              # Data model
│   └── data/                   # Master data
└── app/
    ├── supplier-portal/         # Fiori Elements UI
    └── admin-dashboard/         # Internal tools

Integration Patterns

• Event-driven architecture using SAP Event Mesh
• API-first approach with OData and REST
• Batch processing for high-volume data sync
• Error handling and retry logic for resilience

DevOps

• CI/CD pipeline using GitHub Actions
• Automated testing with Jest and CAP test framework
• Multi-environment strategy (dev, test, prod)
• Monitoring with Application Insights and Custom Metrics

Future Roadmap

Building on this success, planned enhancements include:

• AI-powered demand forecasting for proactive supplier engagement
• Blockchain integration for immutable compliance tracking
• IoT sensor data for real-time component condition monitoring
• Mobile app for on-site supplier inspections
• Expanded analytics with SAP Analytics Cloud integration

Conclusion

This project demonstrates the power of SAP BTP for mission-critical enterprise applications. By combining modern cloud architecture with deep integration capabilities, we delivered a solution that:

• Scales globally across thousands of suppliers
• Performs reliably under demanding operational requirements
• Integrates seamlessly with existing SAP landscape
• Delivers measurable ROI within months of deployment

The success has led to additional projects modernizing other areas of Airbus’s digital infrastructure on SAP BTP.