What io does

io (legal entity: io-consultants GmbH & Co. KG) is a privately held German industrial consultancy founded in 1958 and headquartered in Heidelberg, operating across twelve global offices in Germany, the United States (Bethlehem, PA), the United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Singapore, and Vietnam. The firm delivers end-to-end consulting and planning services across supply chain and logistics, production and processes, architecture and MEP, cloud and analytics, operational excellence, project management, and supply chain lifecycle management for clients in life sciences, food and beverage, consumer goods, fashion, mechanical and plant engineering, automotive and aftersales, and healthcare.

The firm's core technical offering is implementation services around SAP Digital Manufacturing (SAP DM), delivered under its dual status as an SAP Partner for Build + Service and SAP Partner for Sell GROW. SAP DM is a cloud-based Manufacturing Execution System (MES) running on SAP Business Technology Platform, comprising modular components for real-time execution (SAP Digital Manufacturing Execution), AI-powered shop-floor planning and dispatching (SAP Digital Manufacturing Resource Orchestration, or SAP REO), performance management (SAP DM Insights), and a workforce management framework currently in beta (SAP DM POD 2.0). Complementary capabilities include SAP Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) integration, digital-twin and virtual-reality factory simulation, and master planning for greenfield and brownfield industrial sites. AI functionality is embedded within SAP REO for auto-dispatching, machine-learning-driven capacity forecasting, and dynamic disruption handling.

io's business model is professional services-based: revenue is generated through project-based consulting engagements, packaged offerings (Discover Day, fixed-format Proofs of Concept, and SAP ME/MII-to-DM migration readiness assessments), and longer-term SAP implementation and operational support. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific rather than tiered or publicly disclosed. Customers are predominantly large enterprises, with named references including BMW Group, Robert Bosch (Automotive Aftermarket), Rolls-Royce, Belimo, and Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH. Distribution is direct enterprise field sales supplemented by the SAP partner channel; the firm is managed by two Managing Directors (Thomas Kilimann and Adrian Siegler) with a regional Managing Director for the US (Rupert Hoecherl).

Name

io

Legal name

io-consultants GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://us.io-group.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

io-consultants is a privately held German industrial consultancy (founded 1958, Heidelberg) delivering interdisciplinary supply chain, production, SAP Digital Manufacturing, and architecture services to enterprise clients across life sciences, automotive, consumer goods, and other manufacturing verticals globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Engineering Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Enterprise Architecture & IT Operating Model (BPAHAEAB)

Keywords

• Supply chain consulting
• Factory planning services
• SAP implementation consulting
• Manufacturing execution systems
• Logistics consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Heidelberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Planning Services: Professional consulting services for supply chain & logistics, SAP solutions & digitalization, production & processes, cloud solutions & analytics, operational excellence, project management, supply chain lifecycle management, and architecture & MEP. Services range from strategic planning through implementation support for complex industrial projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

io is a consulting and planning firm that delivers end-to-end services for production, logistics, architecture, and SAP/cloud solutions. As an SAP Partner for Build + Service and SAP Partner for Sell GROW, the firm implements SAP Digital Manufacturing, SAP Extended Warehouse Management, and SAP S/4HANA integrations, alongside factory planning using digital twins and VR, supply chain strategy, and operational excellence consulting.

Product overview

io is a consulting and planning firm offering interdisciplinary services across supply chain, logistics, SAP solutions, production, and architecture. The core SAP-related offering is SAP Digital Manufacturing (SAP DM), a cloud-based SaaS Manufacturing Execution System comprising three main modules: SAP Digital Manufacturing Execution (for real-time production control), SAP Digital Manufacturing Resource Orchestration (for AI-powered shop floor planning and dispatching), and SAP DM POD 2.0 Framework (for workforce management). Supporting modules include SAP Digital Manufacturing Insights (for performance analytics). Beyond SAP, io provides factory planning services using Digital Twins and VR technologies, supply chain and logistics consulting, architecture and MEP services, and operational excellence consulting. The company operates as an SAP Partner for Build + Service and SAP Partner for Sell GROW, implementing solutions across life sciences, retail, and manufacturing industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SAP Digital Manufacturing consulting and implementation Consulting and implementation services for SAP's cloud-based Manufacturing Execution System (SAP DM), a SaaS solution providing real-time transparency, planning, execution, monitoring, and documentation of production processes across plants. Targeted at industrial enterprises running SAP-centric manufacturing operations.
• SAP Extended Warehouse Management consulting Consulting and implementation of SAP EWM warehouse management solution integrated with SAP Digital Manufacturing, supporting logistics processes and warehouse operations for industrial clients.
• Discover Day One-day orientation package providing a compact overview of SAP Digital Manufacturing including theoretical input, system insights, hands-on live demo, and a focused deep dive on prioritized topics.
• Proof of Concept (PoC) for SAP DM Proof of concept packages available in small (4-6 weeks) and large (>10 weeks) formats, including ERP and machine integration testing within the customer's own systems to validate SAP DM fit.
• SAP ME/MII to SAP DM Migration Readiness Migration assessment service evaluating existing SAP ME/MII solutions, identifying migration opportunities to SAP DM, and producing concrete recommendations for transition.
• Supply Chain & Logistics consulting Consulting services covering robotics, automation consulting, supply chain strategy, warehouse design, and transportation optimization for production and logistics efficiency.
• Production & Processes consulting Factory planning, manufacturing optimization, GMP/Life Science expertise, and process consulting for production facilities including Factory Layout Planning and Master Planning services.
• Factory Planning Systematic design and optimization of production facilities from site selection through building layout planning to production process commissioning, using digital twins, simulation, and VR technologies.
• Cloud Solutions & Analytics Cloud-based solutions and analytics services for production transparency and performance improvement.
• Architecture & MEP Building engineering services including mechanical, electrical, and plumbing planning for industrial projects with a sustainability focus.
• Operational Excellence Consulting for operational improvement and process optimization, including Lean 4.0 methodologies.
• Project Management Project management consulting for complex industrial projects across supply and value chains.
• Supply Chain Lifecycle Management End-to-end supply chain consulting from strategic consideration through implementation of complex industrial projects.

Named customers5 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SAPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAP Partner for Build + Service and SAP Partner for Sell GROW. io provides consulting and implementation services for SAP Digital Manufacturing, SAP Extended Warehouse Management (EWM), SAP S/4HANA integration, and SAP Business Technology Platform. The partnership enables delivery of SAP cloud-based MES solutions, migrations from SAP ME/MII, and comprehensive SAP digital transformation projects.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• All for One Group SE: Mid-market SAP consulting partner focused on ERP, cloud, and supply chain transformation for industrial and consumer products customers, directly overlapping io's SAP Build + Service positioning.
• BearingPoint: European-origin management and technology consultancy with strong SAP, supply chain, and industrial transformation practices competing for the same DACH enterprise mandates.
• msg systems AG: German-based IT and SAP consulting firm serving automotive, insurance, and public sector with comparable SAP, supply chain, and digital manufacturing practices anchored in the DACH market.
• MHP Management- und IT-Beratung GmbH: Porsche AG subsidiary offering SAP and digital transformation consulting to automotive and manufacturing clients, with comparable SAP Digital Manufacturing and supply chain capabilities overlapping io's core offering.

Broad incumbents

• Atos: Global IT services and SAP provider serving manufacturing and process industries with end-to-end digital factory, MES, and supply chain offerings that overlap io's portfolio at much larger scale.
• T-Systems International: Deutsche Telekom's enterprise IT arm providing SAP, cloud, and IoT services to DACH industrial clients, with comparable supply chain and digital manufacturing offerings.
• Capgemini Engineering: Global engineering and digital transformation arm of Capgemini combining industrial engineering, digital manufacturing, and SAP capabilities, targeting the same automotive, life sciences, and consumer goods clients as io.
• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS): Global IT services giant with a dedicated manufacturing and SAP practice, serving OEMs and industrial customers with digital manufacturing and supply chain services that compete for the same enterprise budgets.
• Accenture Industry X: Accenture's digital engineering and manufacturing service line delivering smart factory, MES, and supply chain programs with global delivery scale far exceeding io's footprint.
• Deloitte Consulting (Engineering & Construction / SAP): Big Four advisory practice with deep SAP, supply chain, and Industry 4.0 capabilities, often co-delivering SAP DM and smart factory programs alongside SAP at large global manufacturers.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ioconsultants
• Facebookfacebook.com/ioconsultants
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/io-consultants
• Instagraminstagram.com/io.careers
• Xx.com/io_consultants

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about io