Driving efficiency
and insights at Kaneka
with PowerBI
and SAP Datasphere

Kaneka is a global leader in producing high-quality plastic components used in a wide range of industries, from healthcare to sustainable materials. As the company continues to grow, so does its need for efficient, real-time business insights. However, managing data spread across various sources presented challenges in accessibility and analysis. To solve this, Kaneka partnered with Acumen to transform its data landscape using SAP Datasphere and Power BI.

Kaneka’s existing reporting structure was complex and time-consuming, relying heavily on manual data extraction and processing. Critical business decisions were delayed due to fragmented data streams and a lack of real-time visibility. With expansion plans and growing data demands, Kaneka needed a solution that was both scalable and efficient.

AUTHOR – Acumen

Our solution

Acumen stepped in to design a powerful solution combining SAP Datasphere’s structured data environment with the analytics capabilities of Power BI.

This integration allows Kaneka to:
• Seamlessly access and visualize business-critical data.
• Build custom reports with advanced semantic models.
• Leverage real-time data for quicker, informed decision-making.

Our implementation was divided into four structured steps:

1. Connecting Power BI to SAP Datasphere
We established a secure ODBC connection between SAP Datasphere and Power BI, enabling real-time data synchronization. This step laid the foundation for instant reporting and visualization.

2. Building semantic models with Flexso and Kaneka
In collaboration with Flexso and Kaneka’s business units, we created custom semantic models that aligned with reporting needs. This provided clean, business-ready datasets for finance, sales, and operations, ensuring accuracy and reducing manual processing.

3. Implementing incremental refresh and query folding
To enhance efficiency, we enabled incremental refresh, allowing only updated data to be pulled during each sync. This reduced load times and kept reports current. Additionally, query folding filtered unnecessary data, further optimizing performance.

4. Adding row-level security (RLS) for secure access
With RLS, Kaneka’s employees access only the data relevant to their roles, departments, or profit centers. This layer of security guarantees data privacy while maintaining regulatory compliance.

Business value
and impact

The implementation of Power BI and SAP Datasphere led to transformative business outcomes for Kaneka:

• Real-time insights: Decision-makers have instant access to the latest financial and operational data.

• Enhanced security: Row-Level Security ensures that only authorized personnel access sensitive information.

• Faster reporting cycles: Automated refresh and real-time data eliminate manual processing, saving countless hours.

• Self-service analytics: Teams can now build and customize reports independently, driving efficiency and empowering data-driven decisions.

We transformed complex data landscapes into streamlined, real-time insights. This way data empowers smarter, faster decisions.

Future outlook
& conclusion

With this modernized data infrastructure, Kaneka is well-positioned for future growth. The flexibility of SAP Datasphere and Power BI means the system is scalable for evolving business needs. More importantly, it enables deeper data analytics, supporting Kaneka in maintaining its competitive edge.

Through the expertise of Acumen and close collaboration with Kaneka, we’ve transformed complex data landscapes into streamlined, real-time insights.

If your organization is ready to unlock the full potential of its data, reach out to us. We’re here to help you achieve the same.