3S

What 3S does

3S GmbH is a German ERP software provider founded in the 1990s by Ulrich Mester, headquartered in Attendorn, Germany. The company develops and sells the 3S ERP system specifically for small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (KMU), addressing a gap founder Mester identified when he could not find affordable, complete ERP solutions for production-oriented SMBs. The software is powered by the proprietary 3S Azul Framework, an ASP.Net Core-based HTML5 application framework that enables browser-based access across devices and operating systems without requiring Silverlight or Flash, and supports both cloud and on-premise deployment from a single codebase. The product portfolio includes the core 3S ERP platform, four pre-configured vertical packages (3S Engineering for mechanical/plant engineering, 3S Supply for automotive suppliers, 3S Variants for variant manufacturers, and 3S Process for process industries), and modular add-ons covering financial accounting, production planning, time tracking, CRM, EDI, and GoBD compliance.

3S operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct sales (website demos, callback requests) with a three-tier certified partner network spanning Certified Sales Partners, Certified Service Partners, and Certified Solution Partners with vertical industry expertise. The company monetizes through cloud subscriptions at approximately €175 per firm/month, one-time on-premise licenses with associated implementation services, partner-driven services revenue, and training through the 3S Akademie facility. The ERP supports 17 languages via an AI-powered translation engine, and the company has received independent recognition including a top-5 ranking among 150 ERP providers by 'impulse' magazine, a test winner designation from the FH Kiel Institute, and a Creditsafe Top Rating placing it among the top 3% of German companies by creditworthiness.

Name

3S

Legal name

3S GmbH

Website

https://3s-erp.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

3S GmbH is a German ERP software provider founded in the 1990s, serving small and medium-sized manufacturing companies with its proprietary 3S Azul Framework, offering cloud and on-premise deployment through a certified partner network across multiple industry verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Manufacturing ERP Software

NAICS

Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHDAEAEAB

Manufacturing ERP (Discrete, Process, Batch)

Hardware, Technology & Telecom/Enterprise Platforms & Databases/Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Platforms

SECONDARYHDAEAEAA

Core ERP Suites (Financials, Procurement, Projects)

Hardware, Technology & Telecom/Enterprise Platforms & Databases/Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Platforms

SECONDARYBPAEAGAA

ERP Implementation & Systems Integration Services

Business & Public Services/IT & Digital Services (Managed Services, Systems Integration)/Enterprise Applications Services (ERP/CRM/HRIS)

Keywords

• ERP software
• Manufacturing ERP
• SME business software
• Cloud ERP system
• Production planning software

Headquarters

HQ city

Cairo

HQ country

Egypt

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cloud ERP Subscription: 3S offers cloud-based ERP hosting at approximately €175 per firm or tenant per month. This includes software usage, hosting, maintenance, automatic updates, and security. Cloud pricing covers all components: hardware costs, Windows Server OS, SQL Server licensing, user licenses, electricity, cooling, server room security, hourly backup recovery points, and ransomware protection via WORM backups.
2. On-Premise ERP License and Services: Traditional on-premise deployment with software licenses for Microsoft SQL Server and Windows Server, plus implementation, customization, training, and ongoing maintenance services delivered through the partner network and direct consulting team.
3. Partner Revenue Sharing: Revenue generated through the partner network where Certified Service Partners and Solution Partners sell and implement 3S ERP directly to customers. Partners earn through software sales, hardware sales, and associated services including installation, training, maintenance, and customization.
4. Training and Education (3S Akademie): The 3S Akademie provides training services for partners and customers on 3S ERP, as well as Microsoft and Adobe products. Training is delivered in modern classrooms (12 workstations each with interactive smartboards), or via a mobile classroom that brings equipment to customer sites.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

3S develops, sells, and supports the 3S ERP software platform — a cloud-based or on-premise enterprise resource planning system for small and medium-sized manufacturing companies (KMU) in Germany and internationally. The platform covers financial accounting, production planning (MRP/MRP-II), CRM, sales/purchasing with EDI, time tracking, quality management, document management, and tool management. It also offers four pre-configured industry branch packages (3S Engineering, 3S Supply, 3S Variants, 3S Process) and related training services through the 3S Akademie.

Product overview

3S is an ERP system provider for small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (KMU) headquartered in Attendorn, Germany. The product portfolio consists of the core 3S ERP platform powered by the proprietary 3S Azul Framework, supplemented by four industry-specific branch solutions: 3S Engineering (for mechanical engineering and plant construction), 3S Supply (for automotive suppliers), 3S Variants (for variant manufacturers), and 3S Process (for process industry). The platform is delivered as a modular architecture with add-on modules covering: Basis ERP-Module (system environment, project management, document management, GoBD compliance), Einkauf und Verkauf (purchasing and sales with EDI, DATEV interface), Produktion (production planning with graphical planning board, quality management, CAD interface), Buchhaltung (financial accounting, cost accounting, fixed assets, SEPA), Zeiterfassung (personnel time recording, operational data collection), and CRM (with newsletter capabilities). The system is accessible via HTML5 browser using the 3S Azul Framework, with optional cloud or on-premises deployment. Additional offerings include the 3S TV digital signage feature, Handling Units logistics module, 3S Akademie training services, and a comprehensive ERP-Wiki documentation portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 3S Engineering: Cloud ERP solution for mechanical and plant engineering companies with integrated project management, scheduling, and project time tracking.
• 3S Supply
• 3S Variants
• 3S Process
• 3S Azul Framework

Products and services

• 3S ERP
• 3S Engineering
• 3S Supply
• 3S Variants
• 3S Process
• 3S Akademie

Quantifiable outcome

• 3S outperformed Sage and other providers in a comparative study by the Institute of Business, Engineering and Technology at Fachhochschule Kiel
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or Integration3S is a Microsoft and Adobe partner. The ERP system runs on Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Windows Server. The 3S Azul Framework is built on ASP.Net Core. 3S provides training for Microsoft products through the 3S Akademie and has integrated Microsoft Entra ID (OAuth2) for email account management. The ERP supports Microsoft Office integration and the Azul Framework enables browser-based access on Windows, Linux, and macOS.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreTechnology or Integration3S initially hosted its cloud ERP on Amazon AWS in the Frankfurt a.M. data center. However, the company has been transitioning away from AWS to a German hosting provider due to concerns about US policy predictability. New cloud installations are only being set up in the EU, currently in Germany.
• 3S Certified Sales PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified Sales Partners act as the interface between the customer and 3S. They know the 3S software and their customers very well but purchase software directly from 3S or other partners. They focus on customer acquisition and relationship management without direct software sales.
• 3S Certified Service PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCertified Service Partners sell 3S ERP systems and related hardware directly to customers. They additionally provide associated services at the customer site including installation, training, maintenance, and software customization. All partner types earn revenue through their activities.
• 3S Certified Solution PartnerscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCertified Solution Partners operate like Service Partners but can additionally extend the 3S software with custom programming. They often have very strong industry-specific expertise and adapt the software for specific industries. These industry solutions can be resold through other partners after acceptance. Solution Partners must train and test at least 2 employees annually.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sage: Sage is among the most direct competitors for SMB ERP in Europe, with a strong footprint in German Mittelstand manufacturing. 3S's Fachhochschule Kiel test winner award was specifically cited as outperforming Sage, signaling head-to-head competition for the same buyer profile.
• ProAlpha: ProAlpha is a German ERP vendor specialized for small and mid-sized manufacturing and trading companies, very similar in segment focus to 3S. It serves mechanical engineering, plastics, electronics, and automotive suppliers with comparable functionality around MRP, project costing, and production planning.
• abas ERP: abas is a Germany-based ERP vendor for SME manufacturers, focusing on make-to-order, project-based, and variant-heavy production environments — directly overlapping with 3S Engineering, 3S Variants, and 3S Supply. Both target Mittelstand discretes and aim at the SAP Business One upgrade path.
• PSI Software: PSI provides industry-specific ERP and production software for metals, discrete manufacturing, and process industries in the DACH region. Overlaps with 3S Process and 3S Engineering on functionally rich production planning and EDI/VDA integration for industrial customers.
• ams.Solution: ams.Solution is a German ERP vendor specializing in variant manufacturing, project-based production, and make-to-order discrete manufacturing. Its functional scope — configurators, project costing, MRP — closely mirrors 3S Variants and 3S Engineering.

Broad incumbents

• SAP Business One: SAP's small-business ERP suite targets the identical SME manufacturing buyer (Maschinenbau, automotive supply, variant manufacturing) that 3S serves. SAP Business One is the dominant incumbent in the German Mittelstand market and the primary alternative prospects evaluate against 3S.
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central: Microsoft's mid-market ERP, tightly integrated with Microsoft 365 and Azure, competes for the same budget and IT footprint as 3S — particularly relevant given that 3S itself is built on Microsoft SQL Server and ASP.NET Core. Increasingly cloud-native and aggressively discounted for SMBs.
• Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine): Infor's SyteLine/CloudSuite Industrial targets mid-market discrete manufacturers with deep production and supply chain functionality. It competes for larger customers in the same manufacturing verticals 3S addresses, particularly in machined parts and automotive supply.
• Oracle NetSuite: NetSuite is a leading cloud-native ERP used by fast-growing SMBs and mid-market companies. While broader than 3S functionally, it increasingly competes for German Mittelstand customers standardizing on cloud-first ERP, particularly in subsidiaries of multinationals.

Others

• Microsoft Learn / Microsoft Deutschland (training channel): Microsoft is a strategic technology and training partner for 3S (3S runs on SQL Server / ASP.NET Core and trains Microsoft products through the 3S Akademie). While not a direct competitor of the ERP product, Microsoft's ecosystem positioning influences 3S's go-to-market and platform leverage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/3S_GmbH

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 3S