Company name: Kompass GmbH
Location: Ilmenau, Germany
Industry: Technology
Established: 2016
Company size: <50
Odoo users: <50
Hosting type: Odoo Online
Apps: Purchase, Sales, Inventory, Project, Planning, Timesheets, Time Off, Manufacturing (MRP), Workshop, Barcode, Employees, Accounting, CRM, Knowledge
Implementing Partner: deenovum Technologies AG
Kompass GmbH, based in Ilmenau, manufactures highly specialized sensor technology and measuring devices in the fields of substance detection, environmental monitoring, and material analysis. It researches and produces customized sensor solutions for its customers. When the old ERP system no longer met the demanding requirements of production, Kompass set out to find a new solution. The goal: an ERP system that maps the entire manufacturing process and achieves the same precision as its sensors.
Bottleneck software: The old ERP system reached its limits with multi-level bills of materials
Until 2024, Kompass GmbH relied on a legacy ERP system. However, with its constantly growing product portfolio, precise production planning became increasingly challenging. The old software had a critical limitation: it could only map bills of materials (BOMs) up to the fourth level. In concrete terms, this meant that a “blind spot” arose in the highly complex manufacturing processes for the sensors. The system was no longer able to break down the materials required for the subassemblies. The result was inaccuracies in the associated material requirements planning (MRP).
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Another source of frustration was the usability of the legacy software. Rigid licensing models and an outdated user interface unnecessarily increased the amount of manual work involved in day-to-day business. This costs time and energy – resources that are particularly valuable in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Kompass GmbH was therefore looking for an intuitive ERP solution that could handle complex assembly and multi-level bills of materials in a transparent manner. Their vision: to eliminate patchwork solutions and unite the entire value chain on a central platform, from development and sales to manufacturing and shipping. After intensive market analysis, the choice fell on Odoo.
Setting sail for new shores: How Kompass GmbH migrates data and takes its team along for the journey
Kompass GmbH found a regional partner in deenovum Technologies AG to introduce the new Odoo software solution and digitize important business processes at the same time.
Beginning in 2024, the project team started working closely with the various departments to create an end-to-end system – covering all areas from development to production. The focus was on the employees who use the system in their daily work. Using hands-on workshops as a format, the team addressed questions and concerns of the employees and presented solutions live in the system. One of the biggest challenges was mastered right at the start: the migration of the existing inventory, including all metadata. Making sure that employees felt comfortable using the software, the system migration developed into a collaborative effort.
Kompass GmbH leveraged Odoo's modular approach for an agile implementation. Each module was fully set up before the next one was addressed. This significantly increased acceptance of the new platform, as the change was gradual rather than abrupt. Especially in companies with established routines and experienced specialists, this approach helps to anchor a new system in a sustainable way.
A clear course instead of blind spots: greater efficiency and full transparency
Following the successful introduction of Odoo, Kompass GmbH immediately benefited from the advantages of the new software. The company recorded a productivity increase of up to 50%, particularly in manufacturing. In addition to this impressive figure, improvements were also seen in other key areas:
Complete transparency: Thanks to Odoo's ability to map multi-level bills of materials (BoMs) without restrictions, complex production planning is now fully transparent. There are no more “blind spots” in inventory, which greatly simplifies material requirements planning.
Significantly reduced sources of error: By using Odoo as an all-in-one solution, Kompass GmbH now works with a “single source of truth” from development to production. This closes data gaps and eliminates synchronization errors that are typical with isolated systems.
Time savings through automation: Replacing isolated applications eliminates the need for manual data transfers. Odoo's powerful automation features drastically reduce administrative overhead, freeing up resources for development and manufacturing.
Better teamwork: Odoo's intuitive user interface makes day-to-day business noticeably easier. Employees no longer feel like they are fighting against a system; instead, they are supported by the software. This allows them to focus on their actual work and promotes collaboration.
Improved customer relationships: With Odoo CRM, Kompass GmbH has been able to significantly strengthen customer loyalty. Automated tasks, reminders, and a clearly structured sales pipeline ensure that customer requirements are met promptly and misunderstandings are avoided.
The first big success following the introduction of Odoo was the launch of a new product: the high-precision, compact TEAMS (Tactile Equipment for Analysis of Materials and Surfaces) measuring system was developed and manufactured for the first time using processes fully integrated with Odoo. The entire development cycle benefited from greater transparency, fewer sources of error, and significant time savings.
“Using Odoo, we were able to significantly reduce the development time of our new TEAMS measuring device and thus focus more intensively on testing and optimization.”
Dr. Sebastian Linß, Head of Research and Development
Backed by positive experiences, Kompass GmbH now plans to digitize other business processes such as e-commerce and helpdesk services using Odoo.
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