Majority of German Companies at Early Stages of Maintenance Digitalization Amid AI-Driven Advances from SAP
Despite widespread recognition of digital maintenance benefits, most German companies remain early in their transformation journey, while SAP advances AI-driven tools to support enterprise innovation.
- • 63% of companies are digitalizing maintenance, but only 35% have basic digital maturity.
- • 92% see value in digital maintenance tools, yet less than 40% measure ROI effectively.
- • 43% face integration issues with existing systems; cultural and IT resource barriers persist.
- • SAP introduces AI features to empower developers and drive digital innovation.
- • SAP aims to train 12 million people in AI skills by 2030, enhancing enterprise capabilities.
Key details
A recent study by Fraunhofer IML and osapiens highlights that 63% of companies are initiating the digitalization of their maintenance processes, yet only 35% have achieved a basic level of digital maturity according to the Maintenance Maturity Index, reflecting ongoing challenges in the sector. While 92% of firms recognize the benefits of digital maintenance tools, less than 40% use KPI dashboards to measure tangible returns, and only 6% have adopted Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), with many still reliant on spreadsheets and paper-based checklists. Key obstacles include integration issues with existing systems (43%), cultural resistance (38%), and limited IT resources (33%). Dr.-Ing. Thomas Heller of Fraunhofer IML emphasized the critical need to connect legacy systems to enhance transparency and data utilization.
Parallel to these challenges, SAP has unveiled significant AI-integrated developments at SAP TechEd 2025, aimed at transforming enterprise application development. These innovations, including AI-driven features within SAP Build and new AI assistants in Joule, empower developers to automate complex tasks and accelerate project delivery. Muhammad Alam, SAP SE board member, affirmed their goal to train 12 million individuals in AI skills by 2030, supporting the digital transformation journey with enhanced data accessibility through partnerships such as with Snowflake and new tools like the Data Product Studio. SAP’s advancements promise to facilitate smarter business predictions and improved operational efficiency, potentially benefiting maintenance digitalization efforts in the future.
This convergence of ongoing digitalization struggles and cutting-edge AI solutions underlines the transitional phase German companies face in modernizing their maintenance functions. As firms address cultural and technical barriers, leveraging emerging technologies like those from SAP could be pivotal in advancing their digital maturity and competitive positioning.