Navigating change: Nautor Swan's ERP transformation

Nautor Swan, a luxury yacht manufacturer based in Pietarsaari, Finland, embarked on a transformative journey to modernize its enterprise resource planning by implementing SAP Cloud ERP. The project was one of the first Public Cloud implementations in Finland, and it was executed in close partnership with Islet Group.

ERP for project-driven production

Nautor Swan, a boat manufacturer with a history dating back to the 1960s, faced the challenge of upgrading its outdated ERP system, which had been in use since 2006. In spring 2022, the company needed a modern ERP solution to support its unique, project-driven production processes and to handle the complex requirements of yacht manufacturing. They looked for a cloud-based solution that would require little maintenance and investment for an SME and have transparent subscription-based yearly costs.

Choosing the right partner

Nautor Swan selected Islet Group as its implementation partner due to Islet’s expertise in SAP solutions and their commitment to a collaborative approach. The partnership was built on mutual trust and a shared vision of achieving a seamless transition to the new system. The company knew that good cooperation between people is essential in order to succeed.

From the very beginning, we felt that Islet listened to us. Their team brought the expertise we needed, and they also understood how to work with a company like ours, where every yacht manufacturing project is unique.

Stefan Olli

IT Manager, Nautor Swan

Implementation process

The SAP Cloud ERP project kicked off with a thorough analysis of Nautor Swan’s existing processes and data structures. Islet Group played a crucial role in guiding Nautor Swan through the industry’s best practice processes and integration of SAP Cloud ERP. The implementation process was characterized by rapid deployment, collaborative learning and data migration.

Leveraging the pre-configured best practices of SAP Cloud ERP, the project moved quickly from planning to execution. Project teams engaged in joint workshops and training sessions, ensuring that Nautor Swan’s staff were well-prepared to use the new system effectively. A meticulous approach to data migration was adopted, with Islet providing tools and support to ensure data accuracy and integrity.

Challenges and solutions

One of the key challenges was to accommodate Nautor Swan’s highly customized production processes within the standardized framework of SAP Cloud ERP. Islet tackled this with both standard configuration, custom integrations and iterative testing.

Custom integrations and logic were developed to ensure that the system could handle Nautor Swan’s specific requirements without compromising on the benefits of a public cloud-based solution. Iterative testing and refinements were carried out to ensure that all functionalities met the high standards set by Nautor Swan.

Successful go-live

The project culminated in a successful go-live, with Nautor Swan now benefiting from a modern, scalable public cloud-based ERP system that supports its unique business model. Key outcomes included increased efficiency and business scalability.

Streamlined processes and improved data visibility resulted in better decision-making and operational efficiency. The new ERP is a future-proof solution that will grow with Nautor Swan’s business, accommodating new innovations and seamless bi-yearly updates.

The successful implementation of SAP Cloud ERP at Nautor Swan, in partnership with Islet Group, stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation. This pioneering project not only modernized Nautor Swan’s IT infrastructure but also set a new benchmark for ERP implementations in Finland.

The collaboration with Nautor Swan is a true partnership based on mutual respect and shared goals. Together, we delivered one of Finland’s first SAP Cloud ERP implementations, and it’s an achievement we’re very proud of.

Jukka Penttinen

Chief Operational Officer, Islet Group

– – –

Nautor Swan is an iconic name in the sailing world, whose current glory is rooted in its history. Founded in 1966, Nautor Swan is recognised all over the world for its performance sailing yachts. The key elements of the brand are elegance, quality, performance, innovation and reliability. With a state-of-the-art facility based in Pietarsaari, a Global Service with four hubs in the Med and 18 service points, the divisions ClubSwan Racing, Brokerage and Charter, Nautor is a brand with a global presence across all sailing seas.

More information: