Customer Success Story : Havatec
Inventory and production in sync: How Ridder iQ helps Havatec scale production management
With Ridder iQ, Havatec has better control over inventory, clearer insight into production, and access to reliable data for smarter capacity planning — essential foundations for a fast-growing machine manufacturer in the global cut flower industry.
About Havatec
Their story
Havatec is a Dutch machine builder specialising in sorting, bunching and handling machines for the cut flower industry. From its new, larger facility in Nieuw-Vennep, the company serves customers worldwide with innovative systems that combine mechanics, software and advanced vision technology.
One of Havatec’s flagship machines, the TulipStar, automatically sorts, inspects and bunches tulips using a self-developed x-ray camera that detects tulip heads between the leaves. At the time of writing, 20 TulipStar machines are scheduled for production — a clear sign that business is booming and that efficient production management is critical.
“With ECI Ridder iQ, we now have better control over inventory management and access to data for efficient capacity planning. We always know what we have in stock and no longer need to search for it.”
The Challenges
Havatec had outgrown its existing facility and moved to a larger building with a spacious, partly automated warehouse. But while the physical space was ready for growth, the systems behind it were not.
Production management and inventory control were largely driven by Excel and Access files. Information was fragmented, hard to trace and time-consuming to maintain. For a company with complex machines and growing demand, this made it difficult to:
- Maintain accurate, real-time stock information
- Plan production efficiently across multiple machine concepts
- Give employees easy access to the data they needed
A previous attempt to implement ERP had failed due to a lack of internal support. To make the next attempt a success, Havatec brought in Process Manager Johan Immink to lead the change.
“Inventory management was a crucial motivation and more tools were needed for production management. People were still working with Excel and Access — there had to be a new system and that became an ERP.”
How Ridder iQ helps
After a competitive selection, Havatec chose Ridder iQ as its new ERP system. With more than 3,000 customers in the manufacturing industry, ECI and Ridder iQ were a strong fit for Havatec’s needs.
From Excel to an integrated way of working
Together with ECI’s consultants, Havatec implemented Ridder iQ as the central system for orders, stock and shop floor data. Once the system went live, all orders had to flow through Ridder iQ — an important step in breaking with the old, spreadsheet-driven approach.
Havatec now benefits from:
- Better organised inventory management through an integration between Ridder iQ and the Warehouse Management System
- Real-time insight into stock so teams always know what is available and no longer waste time searching for parts
- A clearer view of what’s happening in production, based on actual shop floor data rather than scattered files
- Fewer internal questions, because information is now accessible to employees in a structured, centralised way
For standard machine concepts, engineering has transferred parts lists into a product data management system that integrates with Ridder iQ. Older projects are still accessible via Excel, but the operational focus has shifted to ERP-driven processes.
Data for smarter capacity planning
Havatec uses the Shopfloor functionality of Ridder iQ every day and is on a clear path towards fully-fledged capacity planning directly from ERP. Time tracking and production data are already captured in Ridder iQ, giving Havatec the foundation it needs to further optimise planning and gain even tighter control over its growing production volumes.
“Even though we haven’t been using the ERP system for very long, we already see clear benefits. Inventory management is better organised, we have a clear view of what’s happening in production, and the number of internal questions has dropped significantly.”
What made Ridder iQ Havatec’s top choice?
Designed for manufacturers like Havatec
Havatec works with around 10 standard machine concepts that are modified per customer. Sheet and pipe materials are ordered per project, while many components are kept in stock. Through discussions with ECI’s sales consultant, Havatec realised it operates as a stock-driven manufacturer — and that Ridder iQ is a perfect match for that model.
A proven blueprint approach
Before committing to implementation, ECI created a blueprint based on Havatec’s requirements. The consultant translated internal needs into a clear design and reviewed this with key stakeholders from all departments. If there had been no internal commitment, Havatec could have stopped the process — but the blueprint phase instead created buy-in and a shared vision.
Inventory management
Inventory management was a key driver for ERP — and Ridder iQ delivered. By integrating with the Warehouse Management System, Havatec now has reliable stock data, less time wasted searching for items, and better insight into material flows.
Centralised platform
Using Ridder iQ Shopfloor, Havatec gets a direct view of what is happening in production. This creates a stronger link between planning and execution and lays the groundwork for more advanced capacity planning across product lines such as the TulipStar.
Practical guidance and sector expertise
ECI’s consultants — including business consultant Daan van den Born and his colleague Ferry de Graaf — set up Ridder iQ efficiently and pragmatically, drawing on deep experience with manufacturers. That combination of practical guidance and industry know-how helped Havatec move quickly from design to real-world value.
