(Current) Lighting the Way Forward: Turning Around a Global S/4HANA Migration

Current Lighting is a global leader in advanced lighting and intelligent control solutions, serving the commercial, industrial, and municipal sectors. Originally part of General Electric, the company emerged as an independent force through a strategic carve-out—marking the beginning of a bold new chapter. Today, Current Lighting operates with more than 1,200 users across multiple manufacturing plants in the U.S. and Mexico, with additional locations in Canada, Europe, and China.

Known for its forward-thinking approach, Current Lighting has made digital transformation a cornerstone of its strategy—embracing scalable, future-ready technologies to drive operational efficiency and global growth.

Lupus Consulting has been a trusted SAP partner to Current Lighting for over seven years—supporting the transition from GE’s IT landscape to a stand-alone SAP ECC environment, and now guiding the company into its next era with RISE with SAP S/4HANA Private Cloud. This long-term partnership is built on shared trust, deep system expertise, and a consistent track record of delivering results in complex, fast-paced environments.

When Current Lighting set out to transition from SAP ECC to RISE with SAP S/4HANA Private Cloud following a major acquisition, the project initially faced serious setbacks. Launched by another consulting firm, the early phase suffered from:

• Ineffective project management and missing governance structures
• Critical preparatory activities being overlooked—especially vital for a carve-out/carve-in environment
• A lack of industry-specific manufacturing know-how in the highly specialized lighting sector
• Shortages of skilled resources and insufficient S/4HANA expertise

Furthermore, we faced mounting pressure to get the project back on track and still meet the ambitious previously set timeline —while navigating the inherent complexity of:

• A distributed business model with over 1,200 users across global operations—demanding a seamless, low-disruption migration
• The need to define a robust post-go-live support structure and roadmap for continuous improvement

It was clear: the project needed urgent intervention and a partner who could step in, stabilize, and deliver.

Lupus Consulting assumed the lead consulting role during the critical carve-in phase.

Stabilization:

Bringing stability, structure, and momentum was the first step we took, to turn the project around. We immediately introduced a team of senior SAP consultants with deep S/4HANA and manufacturing experience, tailored to meet the specific demands of the lighting industry.

"The most challenging part was taking over an ongoing project mid-flight, with high stakes and limited time. But we focused on stabilizing, delivering, and supporting the business — and that made all the difference."
— Andras Boa, Project Manager, Lupus Consulting

Collaboration is key:

We worked closely with Current Lighting’s internal team to establish joint governance and transparent communication channels, laying the foundation for a more agile and effective delivery process. At the same time, we coordinated closely with the outgoing consulting partner to ensure a seamless handover—minimizing disruption and securing essential project knowledge.

Delivery:

From there, we successfully delivered a full RISE with SAP S/4HANA Private Cloud implementation, including the integration of key systems and third-party platforms. A structured 3-month Hypercare phase ensured stability and user confidence post-go-live, while our immediate transition into Application Management Services (AMS) enabled continuous support, optimization, and enhancements.

The project went live in April 2023—on time and without major disruptions. Today, the new S/4HANA Private Cloud system powers core processes across manufacturing, supply chain, finance, and sales, delivering improved performance, visibility, and smarter decision-making.

"When we realized our initial approach wasn’t working, we knew we needed a partner who understood our business, our technology, and our people. Lupus stepped in and did more than rescue the project “ —Zara Horn is Vice President of IT at Current Lighting

Current Lighting has extended its partnership with Lupus through 2025, building on a strong foundation for future cloud transformation. A move to Public Cloud is already on the horizon.

Since go-live, the teams have continued to collaborate on system optimizations and innovation projects—proving that the partnership isn’t just stable but thriving.