Van Iperen
Modernizing a Global Agricultural Enterprise’s Operations
Modernizing a Global Agricultural Enterprise’s Operations
Project Overview
Solutions & Expertise
Agriculture
Custom Software Development
TaaS
Technology & Integrations
Client Background & Overview
For over a century, Van Iperen has been a leading Dutch supplier in the agricultural sector.
Since 1921, they have been providing essential resources such as raw materials, grain products, fertilizers, and have even evolved to offering advanced drone services for precision farming.
As a family-owned business, they focus on advising and supporting farmers in optimizing their cultivation processes. However, their legacy ERP system was written in an outdated programming language (RPG), posing a significant risk as experienced developers for this language are becoming increasingly scarce.
Challenge
The biggest challenge for Van Iperen was maintaining their outdated ERP system while transitioning to a modern, scalable alternative.
Their existing system ran on an IBM AS400 server, and they needed a solution that would allow their business processes to be rewritten without causing operational disruptions. Additionally, they wanted to ensure their inhouse developers could collaborate closely with Pionect’s team and eventually take ownership of the new system. Another key constraint was time: some of their developers were approaching retirement age, meaning the transition had to be completed before their expertise was lost.
Execution
To address these challenges, we leveraged our experience from previous projects and designed a solution based on modern standards
What truly made a difference though, was the way our developers worked side by side with Van Iperen’s in-house team. We shared the same workspace, collaborated daily, and operated as a single, integrated team. This setup allowed us to rewrite key business processes into the new SILO system while keeping the old ERP fully operational.
Our agile methodology facilitated a structured workflow, with user stories documented by their inhouse developer, and refined through collaborative design and testing phases. By implementing rigorous logging, synchronization protocols, and test environments, we minimized downtime and ensured smooth data transitions. Regular sprint meetings and stakeholder reviews helped align our progress with Van Iperen’s evolving needs.
Result & Future Projects
The new SILO system has significantly improved user experience, enabled seamless integrations with external partners, and provided a solid foundation for ongoing development.
By replacing their outdated ERP, Van Iperen has not only future-proofed their operations but also positioned themselves for scalable growth. Now halfway through the planned five-year collaboration, we have made significant strides, and the project is progressing as expected. The collaboration is ongoing, with continued work on completing the system’s full migration.
What Makes This Project Special
This is the most extensive project we have undertaken to date, spanning five years and involving the meticulous rewriting of over two million lines of code.
One of the most compelling aspects is the challenge of maintaining the full functionality of the existing system while simultaneously developing its modern replacement (much like replacing the engine of a moving train without ever bringing it to a stop).
