Smarter Manufacturing: BlechNext’s Metal Ordering & Production PlatformGoodCar Users

Executive Summary

Client: BlechNext

Industry: Metal Manufacturing, Industrial Tech

Engagement: Custom Software Development

Country: Germany

Project at a Glance

BlechNext is reshaping how sheet metal parts are ordered and produced in Germany. Through their online portal, buyers get instant quotes for custom laser-cut and bent metal parts, while a network of partner fabricators handles production. As order volume grew, the operational gap between incoming orders and optimized production runs became a bottleneck: sheet usage was calculated manually, orders were tracked across disconnected tools, and dispatch decisions relied on guesswork. VOLO designed and delivered a custom web platform that connected the online portal, CRM, and partner fabricator systems into a single automated workflow, with intelligent sheet optimization built in. What used to take hours of manual coordination now runs as a streamlined process, freeing the team to focus on business decisions instead of spreadsheet math.

~80%

reduction in manual processing time

hours saved per order cycle

unified platform replacing fragmented tools

End-to-end

automation from order to dispatch

About the Client

BlechNext is a German industrial tech company digitalizing the sheet metal manufacturing supply chain. The company operates two interconnected business lines: an online portal where buyers get instant quotes and place orders for custom laser-cut and bent sheet metal parts, and a Machine-as-a-Service partnership model that brings full automation to fabricators without requiring capital investment or programming expertise on their end.

This model positions BlechNext as the digital infrastructure layer between buyers and producers in the German sheet metal industry. Buyers get fast, transparent ordering. Partner fabricators get a steady stream of optimized production work. BlechNext orchestrates the flow between them. Scaling this model requires software that can handle the operational complexity at the center of every order, which is exactly where this engagement came in.

The Challenge

BlechNext's existing CRM handled basic order tracking but left critical operational gaps unaddressed. The biggest gap was sheet optimization: when multiple buyer orders came in, there was no automated way to determine how to fit different metal parts onto a single sheet for cutting. The team had identified a specialized third-party algorithm capable of solving this nesting problem, but it lived outside their CRM, requiring manual data transfer and decision-making at every step.

The result was a workflow that consumed hours of manual labor per order cycle and led to material waste when sheet usage wasn't optimized. For a business model built on lean, digitalized production, manual coordination was the wrong kind of friction.

Key Challenges

Existing CRM did not support sheet optimization, batch planning, or partner dispatch logic
Calculating optimal metal sheet usage required manual work across disconnected tools

Material waste from suboptimal sheet utilization was eating into margins
No automated connection between order intake, partner fabricator dispatch, and delivery coordination
Decisions about which orders to batch together, what to send to which buyer, and when to dispatch were being made manually
A specialized third-party nesting algorithm had been identified, but not integrated into the operational workflow

BlechNext needed a partner who could design a custom platform that pulled all of these pieces into one automated system, while integrating the third-party algorithm cleanly into the order processing flow. That's where VOLO came in.

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Our Solution

VOLO designed and built a custom web platform that became the operational backbone of BlechNext's order processing workflow. Working in close collaboration with the BlechNext team, we translated their hands-on knowledge of the sheet metal production process into a system that automated the repetitive work and surfaced the decisions that actually required human judgment.

We delivered the project on a focused scope, using a waterfall approach that gave the client clear visibility into milestones and let us move quickly without scope drift. Every component was built to integrate with their existing CRM, their online portal, and their partner fabricator systems, creating a single connected workflow from buyer order to dispatched parcel.

Integrated Order Intake 

VOLO built the platform to ingest orders directly from BlechNext's online portal and synchronize them with the existing CRM. Order data flowed into the new system automatically, eliminating the manual transfers that had previously slowed down processing. The team could see every incoming order in one place, with all the details needed to plan production. 

Sheet Optimization Engine 

At the core of the platform, VOLO integrated the third-party nesting algorithm directly into the order processing flow. The system automatically calculated how to fit multiple buyer orders onto a single metal sheet for optimal material usage, removing the guesswork and manual calculation that had been driving waste. The algorithm now runs as a native part of the workflow rather than a separate tool requiring manual operation. 

Partner Fabricator API Integration 

VOLO connected the platform directly to the partner fabricator network through API integration. Once a production batch was approved, cutting and bending data were sent automatically to the producing partner, removing another step that had previously required manual coordination. This integration ensured that production instructions arrived in the correct format, with no transcription errors or delays. 

Dispatch and Delivery Planning 

The platform supported decisions around dispatch logistics: which orders to group together, which buyer to send what to, what kind of parcel to use, and when to send each shipment. By bringing this logic into the system, the platform turned a fragmented set of judgment calls into a structured workflow with clear data behind every decision.

Approve, Reject, and Override Controls 

VOLO designed the platform to surface decisions cleanly. BlechNext retained full control over which orders to approve, which to reject, and how to override the system's recommendations when business judgment called for it. The software handled the calculations and coordination; the team handled the business strategy.

The Impact

What began as a need to fix an overloaded manual workflow turned into a foundational platform for BlechNext's operations. With the new system in place, the team moved from juggling multiple disconnected tools to running order processing through a single integrated platform. Sheet optimization that once required manual calculation now happens automatically. Orders flow from the online portal to the partner fabricators without manual handoffs. Dispatch planning is grounded in data rather than guesswork.

The platform also positioned BlechNext to scale. With automation absorbing the operational load, the business has room to grow order volume across the partner network without growing headcount or hours, and the foundation is in place for future enhancements as the company continues building out its digital supply chain model.

Key Takeaways

Custom software solves what off-the-shelf CRMs cannot

BlechNext's existing CRM covered the basics, but the operational gaps were where the real cost lived. A purpose-built platform addressed exactly those gaps. 

Automation should free the founder, not replace them

Frederick still makes the business decisions. The platform handles the calculations, coordination, and data flow so that judgment goes toward the things that matter.

Integration is the work

The value VOLO delivered wasn't just code; it was connecting an online portal,
a CRM, a third-party algorithm, and a partner fabricator network into one workflow that actually runs end-to-end.