As 2025 unfolds, the mining industry is navigating a complex mix of challenges. Market volatility, tighter environmental expectations and shifting global demand are reshaping the sector. On top of this, the 2027 end of support deadline for SAP ECC is fast approaching and can’t be ignored.
For those still operating on ECC, migration to SAP S/4HANA is more than a technical upgrade, it’s a key step in digital transformation for mining. It offers a practical route to greater resilience and measurable progress on sustainability. The SAP migration benefits are clear for those who act now, while delaying risks higher costs, compliance gaps and missed opportunities.
Key Highlights
In 2025, SAP S/4HANA migration in the UK and other countries offers mining companies a strategic advantage as well as a technical necessity.
- With SAP ECC support ending in 2027, delaying migration heightens risks across security, compliance and operations
- S/4HANA delivers real time analytics for faster, better decisions across dispersed operations
- Built in ESG and compliance tools help meet sustainability goals and stakeholder expectations
- AI driven supply chain visibility supports proactive responses to market volatility
- MiningWorks, by Birchman, offers fixed price cloud ERP implementation in under 24 weeks, underpinned by 20+ years of mining expertise
Why is the ECC end of support deadline a bigger deal for mining?
SAP’s mainstream maintenance for ECC ends in 2027, with extended support available only until 2030 at a premium cost. For the mining industry, this isn’t just a routine IT deadline. The sector relies on intricate asset networks, remote site logistics and complex financial structures, all of which depend on a stable, supported ERP foundation.
Running on unsupported software introduces significant risks. Beyond the obvious security concerns, it creates compliance challenges, disrupts integration with modern tools and leaves organisations competing for scarce specialist skills. For mining operations, these are not abstract risks. They translate into higher costs, operational disruption and reduced confidence in day to day decision making.
How does S/4HANA address mining’s operational complexity?
Modern mining generates vast volumes of operational data. Legacy ECC systems were not designed to process this information at the speed today’s operations demand.
SAP S/4HANA takes a different approach. Its in memory computing and real time analytics give mining companies the visibility they need to make confident decisions, even across geographically dispersed sites where conditions can shift quickly.
Can S/4HANA help mining companies meet sustainability and compliance demands?
Yes and this will help you stay ahead of your competitors.
S/4HANA includes built in environmental management tools that help monitor emissions, track waste and generate auditable compliance reports. When integrated with SAP Sustainability Control Tower, mining companies can connect operational data with ESG metrics.
For an industry facing stricter legislation and heightened investor scrutiny, this capability is invaluable. It provides the transparency and confidence needed to demonstrate progress on sustainability while staying compliant.
What are the migration approach options for mining companies?
Every mining business is different. That’s why there’s no single route to SAP S/4HANA migration in the UK or internationally. The right approach is one that reflects your industry, your priorities and your timelines.
MiningWorks, by Birchman, is our SAP S/4HANA migration solution created specifically for the mining sector. As an SAP Qualified Partner Packaged Solution (QPPS), it comes with a fixed scope and fixed price, getting you live in under 24 weeks. The result is a clear, outcome driven pathway that removes uncertainty and provides a system ready to deliver value from day one.
With MiningWorks, you can:
- Improve demand forecasting to eliminate costly emergency orders
- Reduce downtime and strengthen critical operational processes
- Gain complete visibility across your supply chain
- Cut operating costs through better contract compliance and inventory management
- Automate manual tasks so teams can focus on higher value work
Our approach is underpinned by 20+ years of SAP delivery experience in mining, ensuring you get both deep technical capability and sector specific insight.
How did we help SSR deliver a seamless SAP implementation
When SSR needed an SAP rollout that balanced efficiency with minimal disruption, they came to Birchman. The challenge was integrating SAP into a complex legacy environment, ensuring the workforce was ready to adopt it and managing deployment at scale.
By applying mining best practices, keeping customisation to a minimum and running thorough testing, we delivered:
- An on time implementation without compromising quality
- Minimal disruption, supported by strong change management and training
- A scalable, future ready system aligned with industry standards
Button: Read the Case Study
Why act now instead of waiting until 2027?
SAP S/4HANA migration in the UK and internationally is about more than meeting a system deadline. Moving early means you start seeing value immediately and will result in:
- Greater efficiency through automation
- Improved compliance and sustainability reporting
- Stronger resilience against supply chain disruption
Holding off until 2027 only increases the likelihood of higher costs, resource bottlenecks and losing ground to competitors already adapting to the new platform.
Conclusion
SAP S/4HANA migration in the UK and across the mining industry is both a necessity and a chance to strengthen your business for the years ahead. The ECC end of support deadline is drawing closer and waiting until the last moment only increases risk.
With MiningWorks, by Birchman, you have a proven pathway to cloud ERP in less than 24 weeks, delivered by a team with more than two decades of mining expertise. It’s a practical way to stay ahead of the deadline and build a stronger, more resilient foundation for the future.
FAQs
Question#1: How do we build a credible business case and measure ROI for S/4HANA in mining?
Ans: Start by mapping current costs and bottlenecks to the SAP migration benefits you expect, which can include predictive maintenance, improved forecasting and process automation. Quantify the gains over 3 to 5 years, factor in one off and ongoing costs and define KPIs for post go live performance like downtime percentage, MRO inventory turns, OTIF, days to close and audit findings.
#2 How does S/4HANA integrate with mine site OT and specialist systems (fleet, SCADA, labs, geology)?
Ans: S/4HANA connects seamlessly through standard APIs/OData, IDocs and SAP BTP for secure, event driven integration. Key touchpoints include fleet and dispatch, asset condition monitoring, lab/assay systems, weighbridges and pit to port logistics. By stabilising data models first, then designing realtime or batch interfaces where they deliver the most value, mining companies unlock SAP migration benefits while enabling broader digital transformation in mining.
#3: What if our ECC is heavily customised? Do we have to rebuild everything?
Ans: No. We run a carve/keep/retire assessment:
- Keep only custom code that delivers a clear competitive advantage.
- Adopt fit to standard where S/4HANA already covers the need.
- Extend on SAP BTP (side by side) for innovation without polluting the core.
This approach reduces future upgrade effort, keeps the core clean and shortens time to value. By using pre-defined mining process templates, MiningWorks helps benchmark customisations effectively, making sure your move supports long term digital transformation in mining.
