From 15 ERP systems to faster integration of acquisitions thanks to SAP
The ambition: to continue growing, but with greater standardisation, scalability and control
In recent years, Netceed has grown strongly through a well-considered M&A strategy. New companies were integrated in various countries, each with their own processes and ERP systems. In total, more than 15 ERP systems were running within the group.
This growth brought opportunities, but also complexity:
- fragmented ERP landscapes
- divergent master data
- limited uniformity in reporting
- manual monitoring of processes
Why Amista and SAP
Netceed deliberately chose SAP as the strategic foundation for further harmonisation and scalability. SAP was not seen as an IT project, but as a business project.
The implementation had to:
- Onboard new entities more quickly
- Enable uniform financial reporting
- Make processes reusable across countries
- Strengthen synergies between companies
Together with Amista, a standardised approach was chosen. What was built once had to be reusable for every subsequent acquisition.
Challenges vs solution
Each acquisition meant realigning processes and streamlining supplier and customer follow-up.
Netceed collaborated with Amista to build reusable components:
- uniform document layouts
- standardised automations
- reusable reporting
- automated follow-up modules
One example is the automated PO follow-up module. Whereas suppliers used to be followed up manually, they now automatically receive an overview of outstanding orders, expected delivery dates and overdue deliveries.
Result: less manual follow-up, better planning and greater transparency.
Netceed initially opted for a highly centralised master data approach. All entities received their data from a single central database.
This resulted in uniform reporting, but also caused operational delays. Adding new items became complex and time-consuming.
Today, Netceed opts for a more pragmatic model:
- centralised control where it adds value
- local flexibility where speed is needed
- less blind adherence to theory
- more focus on business impact
With more than 15 ERP systems in the group, harmonisation was inevitable. However, a pragmatic approach was taken here too.
Not every small business is migrated “because it has to be”. Only when:
- strategic consolidation is taking place
- the current system is going out of support
- the business impact is acceptable
In the long term, the ambition is clear: to evolve towards a uniform ERP landscape that supports scalability, but always with respect for business reality.
“An ERP migration is not an IT project. It is a business project.
If you don’t realise that, you are completely underestimating its impact.”
Lessons Learned
- Standardisation is essential for international growth.
- Reusable SAP templates accelerate onboarding.
- Avoid excessive complexity.
- Not every customisation adds value.
- Pragmatism is more important than theoretical perfection.
- User adoption is crucial.
Listen to their full story in our podcast (Dutch episode)!
Business impact
Thanks to their standardised SAP approach, Netceed achieved:
- Faster integration of new entities
- Uniform reporting across countries
- Less manual follow-up
- Greater transparency in the supply chain
- Scalability for future growth
SAP now serves as the foundation for further international expansion, with planned growth in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, among other regions. Netceed is ready to continue growing without exponentially increasing complexity.
What does this mean for fast-growing companies?
Netceed demonstrates what happens when growth outpaces your ERP structure.
Add-ons and local optimisations work as long as complexity remains manageable. But with international expansion and M&A, ERP becomes a strategic lever.
Discover which ERP route makes the most sense for your organisation today
Customer
NetceedTechnology used
SAP Business One, SAP Cloud ERPAbout our client
Netceed is an international distributor of infrastructure solutions for telecommunications, energy, and data centers. The company supplies major players such as telecom operators and energy distributors in Europe and the US.