When Johann Zrenner and Wolfgang Gropengießer, along with their families, founded IGZ in 1999, no one could have foreseen the company’s successful growth. What began back then in a small barn in southern Germany is now a thriving technology company specializing in SAP’s Digital Supply Chain solution suite.
One of the people who has been part of this success story is Holger Häring, who joined the company in 2004 and is now in charge of IGZ’s sales organization and international expansion.
“Even when I first joined the company, it had a clear focus, even though we were much smaller. The ambition was there, but we didn’t have the extensive expertise we have today. “The core, however, remains the same—that is, the combination of SAP’s software and engineering expertise,” says Holger.
The company name IGZ is an abbreviation of ”Ingenieurgesellschaft,” meaning engineering firm, followed by the first letters of the founders” last names: Gropengießer and Zrenner. In addition to the three-letter abbreviation, the tagline ”The SAP Engineers” is also used, leaving no doubt about the company’s focus. Since its inception, IGZ’s headquarters has been located in the Bavarian town of Falkenberg. Today, the barn has long since been replaced by a large, modern building made of glass and concrete. The majority of the company’s more than 600 employees work there. In addition, the company has established a couple of smaller sales offices in Switzerland and Austria.
Specialization Provides a Competitive Advantage
Twenty-seven years after its founding, IGZ is still run by the same owner families. Holger emphasizes the fact that the company is family-owned and has therefore grown without losing its identity.
“We’re still a specialized company. We don’t develop ERP modules, and we don’t do CRM. We focus on logistics and production in SAP—nothing else,” he explains.
While many SAP partners have chosen to broaden their offerings, IGZ has taken the opposite approach—deepening and specializing rather than expanding its portfolio. Holger explains that this has become a competitive advantage.
– Our in-depth knowledge of SAP’s technical platform and understanding of all its features is one of our greatest strengths. Several of the features now included in SAP’s standard solutions were developed in close collaboration with us. This has given us unique technical expertise and a competitive edge when it comes to optimizing the use of these solutions in warehousing and production.
Logistics Automation Integrators
Holger also highlights the combination of SAP expertise and logistics automation as a strength. Like the founders, many of the company’s employees come from the automation industry, which enables IGZ to both implement SAP and serve as an integrator of advanced warehouse automation—regardless of whether the technology comes from TGW, SSI Schäfer, Gebhardt, Swisslog, or another provider.
– We don’t manufacture valves or shuttles, but we can integrate them with SAP all the way down to the item flow, and we take responsibility for ensuring that it actually works—not just that the software is configured correctly.
While many other companies position themselves as process experts, Holger describes IGZ as a company that consciously holds on to its engineering identity. For him, it’s about not losing touch with what actually happens in a warehouse or a production facility.
“We want to be out on the shop floor. We want to see how the facility works in practice, not just look at a process diagram or a flowchart. It’s only when you’re standing there, right in the middle of the operation, that you truly understand which decisions make a difference,” he says.
This close connection to reality is also, according to Holger, one of the reasons why so many of Europe’s leading industrial and commercial companies—from Siemens and Continental to BASF, Hugo Boss, and Jysk—have chosen IGZ for projects where operational reliability and functional responsibility take precedence over abstract models.
Best-of-breed or SAP all the way?
The debate over whether best-of-breed solutions are the right way to go has been going on for quite some time. There isn’t a very clear trend here. Some are moving toward integrated best-of-breed solutions, while others are opting for broader supply chain platforms. Holger believes that many companies want to stay within the SAP ecosystem but lack a partner capable of realizing that ambition.
“SAP has the features, even if they sometimes need to be adjusted, expanded, and refined. But they’re there. Our job is to make them work so well that subsystems aren’t needed,” he says.
This involves tailoring usability, developing industry-specific best practices, AI-driven automation, and integrations that IGZ has developed through its own development packages. The goal is to create a cohesive whole within SAP rather than a multitude of standalone software solutions.
A Technological Shift That Is Shaping the Future
According to Holger, the development of SAP’s supply chain platform—including EWM (Extended Warehouse Management), TM (Transportation Management), DM (Digital Manufacturing), and the new cloud solution LGM (Logistics Management) means, according to Holger, that more companies can remain within SAP’s ecosystem without having to make functional compromises. This applies not only to large, automated warehouses but also to smaller facilities.
– SAP today handles both simple and advanced tasks. That hasn’t always been the case. That’s why it’s time for many customers to think ”SAP-first” again, which also calls for the kind of in-depth expertise that we offer.
Accuracy and a long-term perspective
Despite the technically advanced image associated with IGZ, Holger describes the company as more than just a pure engineering organization. In his view, it is a values-driven company where precision and a long-term perspective serve as a shared compass. In an industry where both technology and expectations are evolving rapidly, he highlights this as one of the company’s most underrated strengths: a culture that holds projects together and ensures high quality.
– We’re meticulous; that’s an important part of our identity. And we don’t promise more than we can deliver, and we don’t hand over projects that aren’t ready. That mindset also shapes our way of working, where projects are built around stable teams with low staff turnover—in contrast to many consulting firms where people are replaced more frequently,” he says, continuing:
– Customers can tell when teams have been working together for a long time. This creates a sense of security and a shared approach to work that benefits the final result.
The Nordic Region: A Strategic Market
IGZ’s customer base has historically been concentrated in German-speaking countries. But in recent years, its geographic reach has expanded. Sweden and the rest of the Nordic region have become a new and growing market, as both SAP and its customers are seeking more partners specializing in Digital Supply Chain.
“A project we carried out with the heat pump manufacturer Thermia gave us a good start. “That project showed that our methods work in the Nordic region as well and that any cultural differences don’t create problems,” says Holger, emphasizing that the expansion isn’t primarily about building a larger business volume, but rather about establishing the right presence for the long term.
– We want to establish ourselves in a way that reflects our values. This means that, with a long-term perspective and meticulous attention to detail, we will build sustainable solutions together with our customers. That is why we will grow gradually, with the right customers and the right projects.
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IGZ is a German SAP specialist and general contractor that provides end-to-end solutions based on SAP Digital Supply Chain. The company offers services ranging from strategy and process design to implementation, automation, and management, with the goal of creating long-term value for its customers. IGZ was founded in 1999, has just over 600 employees, and generates revenue of just over 100 million euros.
