Hitachi Selects SAP to Power Global IT Strategy

by Hilmar Schepp

Global Enterprise Agreement Solidifies SAP's Position as Key Strategic IT Solution Provider

SAP AG today announced that Hitachi, Ltd., a leading global electronics company, has strengthened its long-time relationship with SAP by selecting the leading business software company as its global IT provider for enterprise resource planning (ERP) software and technologies enabling enterprise service-oriented architecture (enterprise SOA). The announcement was made in the run-up to the Japanese SAP customer conference SAPPHIRE(R) 2007 Miyazaki, being held in Miyazaki, Japan, October 28 - 31.

Hitachi has signed a Global Enterprise Agreement with SAP, providing broad access to licensed SAP(R) solutions. The agreement will help accelerate the deployment of end-to-end business solutions leveraging SAP software in the Hitachi group companies. Based on the SAP NetWeaver(R) technology platform, SAP software will also play the key role in Hitachi's global IT transformation toward enterprise SOA.

SAP will cooperate closely with Hitachi, Ltd. Information Systems Division and Hitachi Information Technology, Ltd., Hitachi's leading provider of business system integration and operation services, to achieve the commonly agreed global goals.

Hitachi is the first company to sign such a strategic agreement with SAP in Japan, thus becoming SAP's lighthouse customer for the entire region.