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Whitehaven Coal keeps business and production on track
August 28, 2024
Managing workforce data, applications, operations and production is a challenge for any organization. Now, imagine you’re in the middle of an acquisition and you’re trying to operate with a business-as-usual mindset while being just months away from going live as a new entity.
Systems need to be in place quickly. And all the different activities and processes that make up a company's front and back-end operations (e.g., HR, payroll and finance) need to run smoothly and efficiently without disrupting the production process.
This was the challenge facing Australian coal producer Whitehaven Coal when it acquired two mine sites in Australia.
The need for a rapid expansion
As part of the agreement, Whitehaven had just six months to complete the transition. Because the acquisition would effectively double Whitehaven’s size (headcount and coal production), there needed to be a rapid and robust integration of new assets into its existing operational framework.
And while Whitehaven would inherit the people, mining assets and operational applications as part of the acquisition, none of the underlying technology systems or remote operation centers were included.
The pressure was on: The team had just months to quickly ensure a safe and stable operation, as well as a smooth transfer of the 2,200+ workforce needed to operate the mines.
Integrating all the essential processes
Whitehaven recognized it needed to enhance its existing systems to ensure they could manage the complexities and scale of its evolving business, and given the tight timeline there was a need for extra resource capacity to meet this business demand.
Whitehaven identified the ideal solution in RISE with SAP S/4Hana, a cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP) system designed to streamline processes and drive productivity. For Whitehaven, this encompassed critical areas such as finance, procurement, supply chain, asset management, HR and payroll.
Whitehaven also needed a team with the right expertise to manage the rollout of the new system and lead the change management program—the team from DXC Technology was brought in to help.
“We chose DXC to support the technical side of the project due to their extensive experience in SAP implementation, application integration, and their strategic vision to navigate this challenging landscape,” said Whitehaven Chief Information Officer Nick Zafiris. “They also have a deep understanding of the mining industry and proven success in merger and acquisition (M&A) environments.”
The DXC team managed the transition of 2,200 employees and 150+ applications to the new systems in a record six months, with minimal disruption to production. This has led to overall efficiencies in the production lifecycle: from mining the coal from the new sites, to transporting it through the supply chain, to reaching the right markets while also ensuring payroll systems run smoothly.
“The (DXC) team has a ‘can do’ attitude,” added Zafiris. “They rolled up their sleeves to get the job done.”
Results that matter
- Seamless payroll processing for 2,200 employees.
- 150+ mining operational applications integrated.
- 400+ suppliers onboarded to maintain business continuity.
- High data integrity and accuracy maintained, with zero errors reported post go-live.
The big picture
Our work with Whitehaven is another great example of DXC excelling at providing deep industry expertise and an in-depth understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities our clients face.
And this challenging integration work, which helped keep Whitehaven’s coal mining operations running smoothly, is also a testament to how our teams come together to design and implement solutions that embed engineering skills, AI and industry expertise to capture opportunities in an expanding market.