Scale production
Doubling volume is not achieved by simply working harder. It requires planning, capacity and material requirements to come together in one system, so you know exactly what your organisation can handle.
ERP for defence suppliers
Scale up production. Increase security of supply. Stay in control of quality, compliance and costs.
The Dutch defence supply chain is facing a challenge few companies have experienced before. Defence is scaling up, wants to procure more from Dutch and European companies, and is looking for partners that can not only deliver, but continue to deliver.
That requires more from suppliers than simply working harder: it requires processes that can scale with you. From engineering to production, and from delivery to through-life support. Oracle NetSuite provides an ERP platform to manage that entire process.
NetSuite ERP for the defence supply chain
Oracle NetSuite is one cloud platform for running your entire business. No separate applications connected by integrations, but one set of data used by estimating, the shop floor, finance and management. That is what makes scaling possible: when lead times, costs and capacity come from the same system, you no longer have to guess what your organisation can handle.
NetSuite supports the processes you need to grow in a controlled way:
- Production and planning — MRP, capacity planning, bills of materials and work orders, from Engineer to Order to serial production. Revisions flow through to the shop floor instead of being managed alongside it.
- International and multi-entity — with NetSuite OneWorld, entities, currencies and local requirements are managed side by side, including consolidation and intercompany processes. A new country becomes an extension, not a new project.
- Finance and accountability — up-to-date margins by order, product line and entity. Documented approvals and a complete audit trail provide control over operations and reliable figures for financiers.
- Service and through-life support — connect production with maintenance, spare parts and service processes, and stay in control of your product throughout its lifecycle.
Oracle NetSuite ERP
An implementation based on proven NetSuite practices for manufacturing, international operations, traceability and financial control. Aligned with what defence suppliers need.
Meet the requirements of the defence supply chain
Scaling for Defence requires more than sound production planning. Suppliers face higher requirements for evidence, quality, origin and information management. That is why we configure NetSuite so you can better manage and demonstrate compliance with the requirements that apply to your position in the defence supply chain.
- Traceability — batch and serial number registration runs alongside production, making materials, components and suppliers traceable without having to reconstruct information afterwards from multiple systems.
- Dual-use in one system — civilian and defence activities run on the same platform, administratively separated where necessary and consolidated where possible. This means you do not need to build a separate operating model for every market.
- Compliance and quality assurance — document processes, approvals, changes and transactions in a structured and demonstrable way. This creates a digital foundation for audits and requirements relating to standards and frameworks such as AQAP, AS9100, ISO 9001/27001, ABRO and export control. NetSuite does not certify your organisation, but it does help you demonstrate that you work according to agreed processes, supporting certification.
Frequently asked questions
Where is our data stored?
For Dutch customers, NetSuite runs from Oracle’s data centre in Amsterdam, with Frankfurt as the failover location. This means your operational data, financial administration, and customer and supplier data remain within the European Union. Oracle is certified to ISO 27001 and SOC 1/2 Type II.
The exact requirements that apply to you vary by contract. Defence, a prime contractor or a foreign OEM may each set different conditions regarding where your data is stored and who can access it. By comparing those requirements with what NetSuite offers, you can quickly determine whether it is a suitable fit. We are happy to assess this with you and involve Oracle where necessary.
Defence is only part of our business. Is this still relevant for us?
Especially then. Hardly any Dutch supplier relies on Defence alone, and the last thing you want is a separate system for your defence activities.
In NetSuite, your civilian and defence activities run on the same platform: administratively separated where necessary and consolidated where possible. You maintain one operating model, one set of figures and one way of working — while still being able to demonstrate what is required for each market.
Does NetSuite certify us for AQAP, AS9100 or ABDO?
No. Certification concerns your organisation and your processes; it is performed by an auditor, not by a software package. Be cautious of any supplier that claims otherwise.
What NetSuite does do is reduce the administrative burden of providing evidence. Approvals, changes, batch and serial number registrations, and transactions are recorded as they happen. This helps you demonstrate that you are working according to your agreed processes — usually the part that takes the most time to prove afterwards.
We already have an ERP system. Do we have to switch all at once?
That depends on your current situation. If you run on a single system that falls short in certain areas, a phased transition is often possible. If you use several systems side by side — often with Excel in between — the real benefit comes from bringing them together, and a focused, shorter transition is usually more sensible than running duplicate systems for years.
That is why we always start by identifying which processes are causing problems today, and only then determine what the transition should look like.
Cadran: ERP expertise and manufacturing expertise
Software alone does not make your organisation scalable. What matters is how your processes are designed and how manufacturing, supply chain, finance and service work together.
For more than 25 years, Cadran has helped manufacturing companies improve their operations with Oracle ERP. We understand the day-to-day reality of companies that design, procure, manufacture, deliver and maintain products, and we combine that experience with the capabilities of NetSuite.
For defence suppliers, we combine that experience with the capabilities of NetSuite. We look beyond the software itself and focus on the connection between manufacturing, supply chain, finance, quality and service. The result is an operating model that supports professional operations today and controlled scaling tomorrow.
IN PRACTICE
One system for six countries at Engels Group
As a member of NIDV, Engels manufactures logistics and waste management solutions in plastic and metal, from delivery boxes and flight cases to defence cases and custom pallets.
Two outdated ERP systems served six countries, resulting in duplicate maintenance, no central financial overview and processes that differed by location. Production planning was done in Excel, credit checks were performed manually, and orders worth thousands of euros were sent out without an approval flow.
Cadran implemented NetSuite as one central platform for finance, logistics and international processes. Production planning is now managed in the system, credit checks run through an API integration, approval workflows are in place throughout the organisation and each country has full localisation. All six countries work on the same platform.
“They have really smart people. They think along with you and come up with solutions.”
Nelly Zegveld — HR Manager and member of the management team, Engels Group
What does scaling for Defence require from your organisation?
The defence supply chain is growing, but at the same time it places higher demands on companies that want to participate. Six challenges largely determine whether your organisation is ready to supply consistently and grow with it.
Security of supply
Defence inventories must support operations until new supplies become available. Your lead time therefore cannot be an estimate; it needs to be an outcome based on your own data.
International expansion
Export and co-production require multiple entities, currencies and local rules. NetSuite manages them side by side in one administration, including consolidation and intercompany processes.
From innovation to production
The gap between a prototype and repeatable serial production is where innovations often stall. Connecting project, product and production in one chain turns every revision into a controlled process instead of manual work.
Financing growth
Scaling requires investment in people, machinery, materials and inventory. Financials, forecasting and reporting based on one set of data provide the insight and substantiation financiers need to assess your growth plans.
Through-life support
Spare parts, repairs and maintenance are part of the commitment. By managing the installed base and service contracts in the same system as production, through-life support becomes a controlled process and a recurring revenue stream.
The future of the defence supply chain
The direction is clear: the Netherlands is investing heavily in Defence, production capacity is being scaled up and industry is taking on an increasingly strategic role. For suppliers, the requirement is shifting from occasional deliveries to the ability to produce, continue supplying and provide through-life support on a structural basis.
This places higher demands on delivery reliability, traceability, reliable business information and the ability to collaborate internationally and scale. Digitalisation is therefore becoming increasingly important: companies with well-structured processes and data can grow with the defence supply chain and strengthen their position within it.
Ron van der Touw
Account Manager NetSuite
Ready for larger defence orders?
Want to know whether your current operations are ready for larger defence orders? We will assess production, traceability, supply chain, compliance, finance and international expansion with you and show where NetSuite can help.
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