ERP not connected externally
The internal ERP was a strong operational backbone, but customers and suppliers were not digitally connected to it.
CUSTOMER CASE · DECOMECC
From integration project to connected operations.
Decomecc did not need to replace the systems and shopfloor routines that already worked. The project started as an integration challenge: connecting customers, suppliers and ERP. But as the solution moved towards portals, operators and machines, it also became an orchestration challenge: making information available in the right context and capturing feedback from people and production equipment.
THE OPERATIONAL REALITY
A strong internal operation needed a stronger connection to the outside world.
Decomecc had a solid home-built ERP and internal processes that worked well for the company. But the ERP was not connected to customers and suppliers, and much of the internal execution still relied on paper or Microsoft Office tools. As customer-specific work and digital expectations grew, Decomecc needed more connectivity, visibility and process support without throwing away what already worked.
Paper and Office-based workflows
The existing way of working was familiar and effective, but it limited real-time visibility and increased manual handling.
Very diverse production processes
Decoiling, cutting-to-length, slitting, sawing, laser blanking and CNC milling required a flexible solution that could adapt to different operational needs.
Low digital threshold on the shopfloor
Any solution had to support operators with minimal friction and low technical requirements.
PHASE 1 · DATA INTEGRATIONS
The first step was reliable system-to-system communication.
SCOPTIS started by using Lobster to connect Decomecc with customers and suppliers. The objective was to make data exchange reliable, fast to deploy and easy for external partners — even when they had limited EDI capabilities.
This created value beyond technical integration. It allowed Decomecc to offer a new level of service to customers and suppliers, while also channeling information internally between systems and departments.
Customers
Lobster
Integration
Integration
Suppliers
ERP · production data · customer-specific interfaces
NEW OPPORTUNITIES · NEW CHALLENGES
Once the data was flowing, the next question was how people could use it.
The integration layer opened new possibilities. But it also raised new questions: how do we support customers and suppliers that have no or limited EDI capabilities? How do we make the information useful for people inside Decomecc? And how do we add intelligent business logic on top of the data that is already available?
Partner accessibility
How can customers and suppliers interact digitally without heavy technical requirements?
Human interfaces
How can internal teams and operators use the information in the flow of work?
Business logic
How can available data be enriched with statuses, validation, calculations and process logic?
Portals
Customer visibility
Production status
Operator guidance
Workflow logic
PHASE 2 · PORTALS & VISIBILITY
From data exchange to managed visibility and process support.
The second phase focused on creating visibility on data that was already available in the systems. This is where the solution clearly moved from pure integration into orchestration. SCOPTIS developed portals that added process logic, steering and interactive data capture on top of the existing architecture.
Customer portals provided detailed insights and fast access for different customer stakeholders. Production portals brought information to the operator, supported the next action in the process and partially replaced paper-based execution with managed workflows, statuses and enrichment. In other words: integration made the data available, while orchestration made it usable in the production process.
END-TO-END SAWING PROCESS
A concrete example: how Lobster supports every step from order to report.
The block sawing process shows the combination clearly. Lobster first integrates customer communication, ERP validation, PLC communication, logistics and reporting. But where the process touches operators — scanning, instructions, checks, quality registration and status updates — the same solution also orchestrates the work: it shows the right information, captures the right feedback and guides the next step in the process.
Block and order information arrive from the customer via EDI.
Lobster role · integrationReceives and routes the customer data, so the order enters the Decomecc process in a structured and reusable way.
The ERP performs validation and calculations, and the block is added to the production schedule.
Lobster role · integration + orchestrationChannels the right data between ERP and planning, then prepares the information that will be shown to production users in the right operational context.
The customer block is received, scanned and labelled at Decomecc.
Lobster role · orchestrationConnects scanning and reception data to the central flow, keeping the physical block linked to the digital order context and making the next production step visible.
The operator scans the block, performs pre-production checks and starts the production function.
Lobster role · orchestration + integrationGuides the operator through the right checks, applies process logic and integrates the validated block and order data directly with the machine PLC.
After production, the machine returns production data and measurements.
Lobster role · integration + orchestrationCollects PLC feedback, enriches it with process data and orchestrates the report flow towards the customer portal.
The operator performs quality checks, adds pictures, prepares finished goods for transport and completes dispatch communication.
Lobster role · orchestration + integrationSupports operator quality registration and scanner flows, then integrates loading lists and dispatch advice back into the customer communication flow.
WHAT CHANGED FOR PEOPLE?
The solution connected data, but its value was felt by people.
Decomecc’s case is a strong example of how integration and orchestration reinforce each other. The platform brought together systems and data, but its real operational value appeared when that data was shown to people at the right moment and when their actions were captured back into the process.
Customers
More transparent communication and access to detailed process information without heavy technical integration.
Operators
Clearer task context, digital instructions and less dependence on paper-based process steps.
Planning and production
Better status visibility and more controlled execution across diverse production flows.
Management
A stronger view on performance, progress and customer service across the extended supply chain.
ARCHITECTURE THAT RESPECTS REALITY
Business logic on top of a traditional decentralised architecture.
The Decomecc solution did not require one massive replacement project. It connected existing systems and added new building blocks where they created value: integration, planning, operation, packaging, production line PLCs, scanner apps, logistics and light WMS functionality.
This allowed gradual migration and extension. Individual building blocks could be added or replaced over time, while portals provided a unified user experience across multiple data sources without duplicating data.
ERP
SQL
Lobster
Line PLC
Portals
Scanner apps
WMS Light
Customers & suppliers
RESULTS
A more connected operation from customer request to production feedback.
By combining integration, portals and process logic, Decomecc moved from a strong but internally focused system landscape towards a connected operational environment that supports customers, suppliers, operators and machines.
Customer and supplier-specific interfaces deployed faster
Information channelled internally between systems and teams
Customer and production portals built on top of existing systems
Operators supported with low-threshold digital workflows
Production orders translated into machine-level instructions
Machine feedback and production reports made available to customers
“Our goal was to make information flow as smoothly as our production — without changing the way we work. Thanks to the Lobster Data Platform and SCOPTIS’s structured approach, we’ve connected our systems, customers, and operators in one digital environment.”
WHAT THIS CASE ILLUSTRATES
Integration, cooperation and visibility create the highest value together.
Extend without replacing everything
Existing systems can remain valuable when a new integration and orchestration layer connects them intelligently.
Bring logic close to the process
Business logic, validation, statuses and enrichment become powerful when they are connected to real operational execution.
Design for the user
Powerful solutions still need to be easy to use for operators and external stakeholders.
No-code still needs know-how
Strong results require platform knowledge, business understanding, IT experience and creativity.
SEE THE STORY IN ACTION
Watch how the Decomecc story is presented.
The Decomecc video gives additional context to the case and helps connect the technical storyline with the operational reality of a production company that wants to serve customers better through digital integration and visibility.
From metal processing to connected operations
The video adds context to the journey from internal ERP and paper-based workflows towards integration, portals and production visibility.
NEXT STEP
Want to connect customers, systems and operators without losing what already works?
SCOPTIS can help you understand where integration, portals and process logic can strengthen your extended supply chain.