The test results are back and you hear the doctor say the dreaded word, ”Cancer.” Varian Medical Systems knows how terrifying the “C” word is, and the company’s 6,100 employees work daily to make sure their products can help medical teams find and treat cancer in the two million people diagnosed with the disease each year.
Headquartered globally in Palo Alto, California, Varian is the world's leading manufacturer of medical devices and software for treating cancer and other medical conditions with radiotherapy, radiosurgery, proton therapy, and brachytherapy. The company also offers software for managing cancer clinics, radiotherapy centers, and oncology practices. A top supplier of tubes and digital detectors for X-rays, Varian is also building a business in cargo screening and industrial inspection with specialized imaging products.
Varian holds 55% of the market for radiation oncology technology. While this is an excellent market position, the company knows to keep the lead it must be sure of its financial picture. Manual financial planning based on spreadsheets is labor-intensive and not as flexible as Varian leaders would prefer.
To better integrate their current SAP solutions with their consolidation tool, Varian chose SAP Business Planning and Consolidation (SAP BPC). SAP BPC will enable Varian to unify planning and consolidations, streamline processes, and lower its total cost of ownership with native integration to SAP NetWeaver. The company expects to close its books faster and with less effort. Planning will be more flexible, faster, and comprehensive. Resources will be able to focus on more strategic analyses, allowing Varian to better prepare for new opportunities.
In July 2012 Varian began using SAP Global Trade Services to enable a global platform that would ensure the highest levels of compliance with trade regulations while improving and maintaining existing delivery times. The company was able to accelerate their export and regulatory processes, and improve visibility and decision making through a centralized view of activities.
By managing its financial operations more efficiently, Varian will be able to invest more in innovative cancer treatment solutions. Patients can benefit from ever more precisely delivered therapies that help fight the disease, reduce complications, and improve their overall recovery. While hearing the word “cancer” will still be terrifying, perhaps knowing how committed Varian is to saving lives will offer new hope.
