After more than 12 months of implementation, RKW Vietnam, a subsidiary of a German polyolefin film manufacturer, has officially gone live on SAP ECC. The first export container processed entirely through SAP on Go-live day stands as concrete proof of the system's readiness for real-world operations.
The SAP Rollout project at RKW Vietnam successfully went live in April 2026
RKW Group and Its Manufacturing Presence in Vietnam
RKW Group is a German company founded in 1957 and headquartered in Mannheim, operating more than 15 production facilities across Europe, North America, and Asia with approximately 2,700 employees. Its product portfolio spans consumer packaging, industrial films, agricultural films, hygiene materials, and medical products.
RKW Vietnam was established in 1996 and became an official member of the group in 2004. The Vietnam plant is located in Tan Tao Industrial Park, Ho Chi Minh City, specializing in shrink film and consumer packaging for both the domestic market and export.
As operations scaled and the need for tighter integration with the parent group's management systems in Germany grew, RKW Vietnam faced the imperative to upgrade its enterprise management technology platform.
RKW Vietnam is a member of RKW Group — a leading German group in polyolefin films and sustainable packaging solutions
From SAP Business One to SAP ECC: A Global Template Rollout
Prior to this project, RKW Vietnam operated on SAP Business One (SAP B1) — a solution suited for small and mid-sized businesses but with inherent limitations in scalability and integration with corporate-level ERP systems. The migration to SAP ECC (ERP Central Component) represented a global template rollout mandated by the RKW Group.
However, Vietnam's regulatory environment and business context differ considerably from those of European markets. The project therefore went beyond a straightforward replication of the group model — it required local requirements to be embedded within the global template without compromising overall system consistency, ensuring seamless data flow and reporting from the Vietnam plant through to group headquarters in Germany.
Every SAP rollout in Vietnam typically encounters three compliance gaps that standard global templates do not address:
Gap 1: Dual Accounting — VAS and IFRS
First, Vietnamese Accounting Standards (VAS) differ materially from IFRS. VAS operates on a rule-based approach focused on statutory compliance, whereas IFRS is principles-based and prioritizes reflecting the economic substance of transactions. This requires reconfiguring the chart of accounts and establishing a dual ledger in SAP — one to meet VAS statutory reporting requirements for Vietnamese tax authorities, and one to fulfill internal group reporting under IFRS.
Gap 2: Mandatory E-Invoice Integration
Second, electronic invoicing in Vietnam is mandatory for all businesses since July 1, 2022 under Decree 123/2020/ND-CP. Companies of RKW's scale typically use tax-authenticated e-invoices transmitted through the General Department of Taxation's system or a licensed intermediary provider. This is a technically complex integration that is not available out of the box in a standard global SAP template.
Gap 3: Flexible VAT Configuration for Policy Changes
Third, Vietnam's VAT structure comprises three standard rates: 0%, 5%, and 10%, alongside temporary reduced rates applied periodically by National Assembly resolution — such as the current 8% rate in effect through end of 2026. This demands flexible SAP configuration capable of accommodating tax policy changes without requiring technical intervention each time an adjustment is made. In this context, the role of a local implementation partner such as Citek becomes critical — not merely as a technical executor, but as a bridge between the group's standardization requirements and Vietnam's statutory compliance obligations.
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Citek is a SAP Platinum Partner and the only member in Vietnam of United VARs — a global SAP partner alliance operating across more than 100 countries. Citek has successfully advised and implemented SAP for more than 110 enterprises across multiple industries including manufacturing, distribution, and pharmaceuticals, of which more than 35% are FDI companies from Germany, the United States, Japan, Spain, the Netherlands, and beyond — all operating under stringent global standards. |
The SAP B1 to SAP ECC rollout was more than a software upgrade — it required embedding the group's global template while preserving the integrity of the worldwide system
Outcome: On-Time Go-Live with the System Operational from Day One
After more than 12 months of implementation carried out in close collaboration between the Citek project team and RKW Vietnam's internal team, the SAP ECC system officially went live on schedule.
The go-live milestone marked not only the system's formal launch, but also coincided with the dispatch of the first export container processed end-to-end through SAP — a concrete demonstration of the system's readiness for live operations from day one.
Upon project completion, Citek was presented with a commemorative award by RKW Vietnam, reflecting the client's satisfaction with both the quality of delivery and adherence to the project timeline.
Project success was built on synchronized collaboration between RKW Vietnam and implementation partner Citek — SAP Platinum Partner
Global SAP Rollouts: Balancing Group Standardization with Local Requirements
Multinational corporations are increasingly accelerating the integration of subsidiary operations into a unified global ERP ecosystem. When achieved, financial, operational, and supply chain data is harmonized under a common framework — enabling faster group-level decision-making, reducing audit and internal reporting overhead, and making expansion into new markets more efficient. Ultimately, the success of a rollout depends not only on the system itself, but on the local implementation partner's depth of market understanding and on-the-ground experience.
Frequently Asked Questions: SAP Rollout for FDI Companies in Vietnam
How long does an SAP rollout for an FDI subsidiary in Vietnam typically take?
Citek's rollout projects are typically delivered within 4 to 12 months, depending on the number of modules in scope, the complexity of the global template, and the extent of delta configuration required to meet local regulatory requirements. The RKW Vietnam project was completed in 12 months from kickoff to go-live.
Why does an SAP rollout in Vietnam require configuration beyond the global template?
Several mandatory requirements in Vietnam are not covered by a standard global template — including dual ledger configuration for VAS/IFRS, e-invoice integration under Decree 123/2020, and flexible VAT configuration to accommodate Vietnam's evolving tax policy.
Does Citek have experience implementing SAP for FDI companies?
Yes. More than 35% of Citek's 110+ completed projects are FDI enterprises from Germany, the United States, Japan, Spain, the Netherlands, and other countries. Citek is a SAP Platinum Partner and the only United VARs member in Vietnam — a global SAP partner alliance with a network of over 80 SAP partners operating across 100 countries.
