Customer Success Story
ICB GmbH guided an internationally operating film manufacturer (process manufacturing, 250–500 employees, subsidiaries in Germany and the U.S.) through the ERP selection process—a vendor-neutral, process-driven approach that was harmonized across two subsidiaries. The implementation of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management has been underway since January 1, 2026.
The customer manufactures specially coated papers and films and operates in process manufacturing for international markets. The company is organized as a consolidating holding company with two operating subsidiaries—one in Germany and one in the U.S. Over the years, different ERP and peripheral systems had emerged at both locations—each with its own processes and data structures, and without any consistent harmonization. What had long worked from an operational standpoint increasingly reached its limits as the company became more international: separate system environments, complicated group-wide reporting, and duplicate maintenance efforts.
There was a twofold urgency to act: Both core systems were nearing the end of their lifecycles. The German subsidiary was running SAP ECC 6.0—with the announced end of support, a system migration had become unavoidable. The U.S. subsidiary was using the aging Microsoft Dynamics GP (Great Plains). For the CFO, this was less an IT issue than a matter of investment and risk—coupled with a unique opportunity to standardize the group’s processes across national borders for the first time. The goal, therefore, was not “a new system,” but a sound basis for decision-making: transparent, vendor-neutral, and based on the actual end-to-end processes of both companies.
The ICB consistently aligned the selection process with business processes rather than with lists of individual product features. The first step was the systematic mapping of end-to-end processes in both companies—from procurement through process manufacturing to sales and finance. Comparing the two locations revealed differences, redundancies, and opportunities for harmonization—the factual basis for shared target processes. Building on this, a harmonized target vision emerged: target processes, interfaces, and the Group’s future IT system landscape. The ERP solutions under consideration were evaluated against these target processes—in a structured, transparent manner, and independent of vendor interests. Today, ICB is supporting the implementation of the selected system and ensuring continuity from selection through to implementation.
The recommendation has been implemented: The rollout of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management has been underway since January 1, 2026—with support from ICB. The company took the following lessons away from the selection phase:
Mapping of end-to-end processes in both companies (Germany and the U.S.)
Analysis of Variations Across Locations with Potential for Harmonization
Common Target Processes as the Group Standard
Target Architecture, Including Interface Design
Vendor-neutral evaluation of ERP solutions against target processes
A transparently documented basis for decision-making regarding investment approval
Structured Project Phase Plan for Implementation
Support for the ongoing implementation by the ICB
A vendor-neutral, transparently documented selection decision—one that stands up to scrutiny by management and shareholders and serves as the basis for a well-founded investment approval.
Modeled target processes coordinated across Germany and the U.S. as a common standard for the Group—the prerequisite for consistent reporting and reduced maintenance efforts.
A documented overview of the future IT landscape, including the relevant interfaces between the systems—to serve as a binding guideline for implementation.
A structured project phase plan that ensures the implementation project—which has been underway since the end of 2025—can be managed effectively and reduces the risk of poor investments and delays.
The methodological backbone of this project: Eight modular, AI-supported steps toward the target system—process-oriented, vendor-neutral, and including a “fit-to-standard” assessment.
The consulting process behind it: three stages—from ERP analysis through ERP selection to ERP project planning—culminating in a management template ready for decision-making.
Real-world consulting project, presented anonymously—key details intentionally kept general. Page images: AI-generated.
