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How Abraxas is further developing its own purchasing with AI
Company
Abraxas
Branch
Information and communication technology
Products
IT solutions for public institutions in Switzerland
Number of employees
Approximately 1,000
Turnover
215 million Swiss francs
Headquarters
St. Gallen, Switzerland
Websitewww.abraxas.ch
Abraxas, apsolut and Lhotse show what modern procurement looks like at an IT specialist for the public sector
With around 1,000 employees, Abraxas Informatik AG forms the digital backbone of the Swiss administration. Anyone who receives a tax assessment, registers a vehicle or pays a fine in Switzerland comes into contact with Abraxas in many cantons without realising it. The company is digitising the state. And its procurement issues are becoming increasingly complex.
SAP Ariba Snap had already been in use since 2023. The next step was a conscious decision: to further utilise the platform’s potential – with AI support that makes it easier to record purchase requisitions (PR) in the specialist departments and relieves the burden on operational purchasing.
Abraxas was already familiar with apsolut as a support partner for SAP Ariba and from many years of good co-operation. Marlene Schenkel, Strategic Sourcing Manager at Abraxas, therefore turned to apsolut with her enquiry.
apsolut presented the Copilot for SAP Ariba, developed in close partnership with the AI specialist Lhotse. A solution that automates the recording of PR on the basis of supplier quotations and relieves the operational purchasing department of the burden of processing incoming PR. Can Akin, founder and CEO of Lhotse, quickly recognised the specific requirements of Abraxas and rebuilt the solution to work with the existing Ariba forms. Good partnerships prove themselves when things get complex. Marlene Schenkel draws a clear conclusion:
“Our aim was to find a solution that works quickly. With the Copilot, we have found exactly that.”
The solution went live on 13 January 2026, after an extensive test phase and deliberately after Christmas to ensure that the launch received the necessary attention. The initial experiences are encouraging. Lhotse is continuously working on the further development of the Copilot, including the support of additional file formats and the further optimisation of quotation recognition.
Abraxas, apsolut and Lhotse have shown how modern procurement can work at an IT specialist for the public sector – with the right partners and the right solution.
The Copilot for SAP Ariba was specially adapted for the procurement processes of Abraxas, a company specialising in the public sector – a pilot project with exemplary character.
Abraxas does not think in terms of projects. But in stages of development.
Implemented tools
Copilot for SAP Ariba
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