Mastering B2B Complexity: How neuland and the Fricke Group built a flexible, ERP-agnostic Commerce Platform

For over a decade, neuland has been the dedicated technology partner to the Fricke Group, one of the largest providers of spare parts and services in the agricultural, forestry, and construction industries.

Since its founding in 1923, the Fricke Group has evolved into a successful, owner-managed family business with over a century of market presence. Its continuous development is powered by a strategic commitment to efficient, modern processes and a laser focus on customer needs.

With a massive catalog of over 13 million items and a turnover exceeding one billion euros in 2022, Fricke's international B2B platform demands robust performance. Our long-standing collaboration has focused on achieving maximum flexibility and scalability through a decoupled, ERP-agnostic architecture—essential requirements for modern B2B software that must integrate seamlessly with internal systems, partners, and customers across 27 countries.

Our Development Roadmap: Strategic E-Commerce Growth

Phase 1: Achieving Scalability through ERP Decoupling (Starting 2010)

Our initial goal was the implementation of a highly scalable system, fundamentally decoupled from the legacy ERP. This architecture was crucial for handling the immense load and complexity of Fricke's international parts wholesale (GRANIT PARTS . By ensuring smooth communication with the ERP while accommodating the specific needs of the agricultural machinery business, we established a reliable, future-proof foundation for sustained B2B growth.

Phase 2: Driving Value with B2B-Specific Features

In the second phase, the focus shifted to functional enhancements to support the Fricke Group's rapid market expansion. A core feature was the introduction of Partner Stores, enabling the wholesale division to efficiently manage various sales channels and selectively integrate cooperation partners. All enhancements—from improved registration to product portfolio expansion—were implemented to guarantee high quality, speed, and stability despite quantitative growth.

Technical Excellence: Core Features for B2B Performance

• Frontend-Backend Separation: Decoupling the backend (cart, search) from the frontend enabled robust HTTP standard caching, ensuring high performance even under heavy load.

• Custom B2B Multiple Shopping Carts: B2B customers can manage several concurrent orders under one account—a custom-developed feature that significantly streamlines complex procurement processes.

• Instant Mobile Availability (Webviews): Features rolled out in the web store are immediately available on mobile apps (via Webviews), requiring minimal native development.

• Modern, Responsive Design: Conversion to a fully responsive layout set an industry example for usability and accessibility.

Future-Proof Architecture: Domain-Driven Development

The commitment to efficiency and customer focus continues with the development of a new ERP system and further decoupling of the e-commerce domain. We have established three independent teams aligned with distinct business domains to ensure rapid, autonomous development:

• "Discover" Team: Responsible for product presentation and optimized search experiences.

• "Buy" Team: Manages the core transaction process (cart, checkout, payment) and user management.

• "After Sales" Team: Organizes communication related to fulfillment, including returns, warranty, and purchase history.

This deep technical decoupling allows the Fricke Group to maintain agility and a strong customer focus into the future.

A Partnership Built on Flexibility and Shared Values

The long-standing collaboration between neuland and the Fricke Group is a testament to the importance of continuous adaptation and technical flexibility in B2B e-commerce. By working technically decoupled but always aligned with Fricke's core values—customer-oriented, efficient, and reliable—we continue to optimize their international trade and drive market success.