Group Slabbinck brings together five companies: Ecco, Gravelart, Jatu, Transport Slabbinck, and De Witte.
Each of the companies in the group contributes in its own way to one clear mission: to leave the world a better place than they found it. They do this by empowering people and nature, with a strong focus on sustainability, training, ecology, and innovation. Together with Sofatech and Odoo, Ecco is taking the step towards a more efficient, data-driven organization, without losing sight of their mission and values.
Empowering people and nature
“Our mission is simple and clear,” says Ann firmly.
“We want to empower people and nature. Every single day.” This vision is reflected in all the companies within the group: from water-permeable paving and soil improvers to ecological transport and inspiring outdoor spaces. “What we do has to align with who we are. We consciously choose not to include products in our range that don’t match our values.”
That ambition also lives internally: through training, open communication, and a culture of feedback, Ecco wants to help people grow. “We want to make an impact — on the planet and on our people.”
Growth ambitions require smart structures. Ecco aims to double its revenue in the next five years, but not by doubling the number of employees. “There is a shortage in the labor market, which calls for smarter and more efficient ways of working. IT plays a key role in this.”
This means automating repetitive tasks, relieving employees of burdens, and using systems as leverage - not as an end in themselves.
“People need to be able to play to their strengths, find satisfaction in their work, and technology should support them in doing so.”
The collaboration with Sofatech dates back to 2014.
“At the time, it was just an accounting package. But the technology didn’t evolve, so we had to. We chose Odoo as our new ERP system: scalable, flexible, and much more powerful.”
From vision to action with Odoo
The implementation of Odoo took place in phases: a pilot project in October, followed by the first go-live on January 1st. “That was an important step. We wanted to be able to adapt quickly, especially with new products.”
An example? For the launch of Vuba (an innovative, water-permeable stone carpet, editor’s note), we set everything up in just two months: training, webshop, warehouse, logistics. That wouldn’t have been possible with a system that takes months to adapt.” The benefits are now clear: “Communication is centralized, allowing us to respond faster in every area. This also improves customer service.
Automations are also useful for collaborating with our foreign agents. And the data we collect serves as a foundation for our growth, building a knowledge base, improving data quality, and preparing us for the arrival of AI-based recommendations.”
No blind automation
Ecco is cautious, however: “Automating just for the sake of automating doesn’t make sense. We assess each process to see if we can automate at least 70 to 80%. Otherwise, it’s not worthwhile.” This approach is also reflected in their choices. For example, they deliberately started with manual order entry so employees could understand what they were doing. Only then did automation follow. “We want self-managing teams, and that requires their own knowledge and firsthand insight.” Knowledge sharing is also addressed: “We provide documentation and ready-to-use information through the helpdesk portal, so users can answer 75% of their own questions. That makes a big difference.”
Implementation is about people.
A successful implementation requires more than just a good system. “You need someone to lead the project, who knows the processes and tests them. Someone who can translate between technology and operations. That role is crucial.”
The collaboration with Sofatech helps with that. “They think along with us, challenge us, and keep us sharp.”
But also: they tell it like it is. Honest communication—that’s what makes the difference.”
An important lesson? “You should never rely entirely on the team to be the ‘owner’ of an implementation.
You need guidance. Without that leading role, you will inevitably run into various problems.”
Challenges remain, but the direction is right.
Of course, there are still areas to improve. “Odoo is a standard package, which sometimes means limitations in flexibility, especially with specific requests or rapidly changing processes.” Data quality and access rights are also points of attention: “We want transparency, but also structure. Otherwise, you lose the overview.”
Still, Ecco remains confident in their choice. “Odoo is continuously evolving. For example, version 19 will bring AI integration, opening many new doors. If you’re prepared for that—with good data quality, a strong structure, and trained people—you’re ready for the next leap forward.”