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AI for manufacturers: leaner operations, faster orders, EU-ready compliance
From distributor orders to supply planning and technical documentation, we put AI inside the SAP and Microsoft workflows that run your plants and channels.
Last reviewed: 29 September 2026
Days → hours
order processing from email to ERP
Days → hours
planning cycle time
Faster
answers from technical documentation, in every language you sell in
Typical target ranges, agreed at baseline.
Margins, complexity and new questions from customers
Manufacturers are managing volatile input costs, longer and more complex distribution channels, and customers who expect faster service. Planning still depends on spreadsheets built around the ERP, orders arrive in every format, and technical knowledge sits with a few experienced people. At the same time, European customers and regulators are asking new questions about AI, data and carbon.
- Margin pressure from input costs and channel complexity
- Planning and order handling still in spreadsheets around the ERP
- New AI, data and carbon questions from EU customers and regulators
Where AI pays back in manufacturing
| Use case | Business KPI | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Distributor order intake from email and documents into ERP | Order cycle time, order errors | SAP, Microsoft 365 |
| Demand sensing and supply planning signals | Forecast accuracy, stockouts, inventory days | SAP, Power BI |
| Supplier communication and PO follow-up | On-time delivery, buyer hours | SAP, Microsoft 365 |
| Technical and service documentation search, multilingual | Time to answer, first-time fix | Knowledge base |
| Maintenance knowledge assistants for technicians | Mean time to repair | Microsoft 365, mobile |
| Export and compliance document preparation | Preparation time, error rate | ERP, document stores |
The rules shaping AI in manufacturing
EU AI Act — AI in regulated products.
Manufacturers placing AI-enabled products covered by EU product-safety legislation (for example, certain machinery) on the EU market face high-risk obligations from 2 August 2028, as amended by the Digital Omnibus.
EU AI Act — transparency.
Transparency obligations for certain AI systems have applied since 2 August 2026.
India DPDP Act.
Personal data of employees, dealers and customers processed by AI must meet full DPDP obligations from 13 May 2027.
EU customer requirements.
Carbon reporting under the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and supplier audits increasingly include questions about data and AI use.
Ready for the India–EU corridor
The India–EU Free Trade Agreement, concluded in January 2026, is expected to be signed by the end of 2026 and to enter into force in 2027. For Indian manufacturers, lower tariffs bring European buyers — and European expectations on documentation, data protection and responsible AI. We help you meet them with multilingual documentation, governed AI and audit-ready evidence.
Show us one process — order intake, planning or documentation. We’ll show you the case.
See it in practice
Programs for manufacturers
Cost Takeout & Productivity
Order-to-cash, procure-to-pay and planning automation.
AI-Ready Data & Knowledge
Technical documentation and master data AI can trust.
Enterprise AI Transformation
A plant-to-boardroom AI roadmap delivered in waves.
Questions from manufacturers
Where should a mid-sized manufacturer start with AI?
With a high-volume process that has a clear baseline — usually distributor order intake, invoice matching or supplier follow-up. These pay back quickly, build trust, and create the data and governance foundations for planning and documentation use cases.
Can AI work with our SAP ECC system?
Yes. Most order, invoice and planning use cases work with ECC through standard interfaces and carry over to S/4HANA. Designing them now also helps you decide what to leave behind in a migration.
How do we handle multilingual technical documentation?
We structure and clean documentation, manage terminology across languages, and build AI search with source citations, so technicians and customers get accurate answers in their language.
What does the EU AI Act mean for our products?
If you sell AI-enabled products into the EU that fall under EU product-safety legislation, some may be classed as high-risk, with obligations from August 2028. Start by inventorying AI in your products and checking which product rules apply.
Start with the process that costs you most
- 30 minutes with a senior lead
- No sales script — a working conversation
- A clear view of where AI can pay back first