Lean Scheduling Europe

What Lean Scheduling Europe does

Lean Scheduling Europe d.o.o. (LSE) is a Novo mesto, Slovenia-based consulting and implementation services company founded in 2010 as the first European office of Lean Scheduling International (LSI), a Bradenton, Florida firm co-founded by Mike Liddell and Dan Hahn. The company is privately held as a European subsidiary of LSI, with Mihael Krošl serving as co-founder and VP Responsible for European Operations alongside co-founder Blaž Svilan. LSE employs approximately 5 people and focuses exclusively on deploying Opcenter APS (formerly Preactor), a Siemens-owned Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) software that uses heuristic, rules-based sequencing rather than algorithmic optimization to automate finite-capacity production scheduling for manufacturers.

The core technology LSE delivers, Opcenter APS, integrates natively with major ERP platforms (SAP, Infor, Oracle, PeopleSoft, Microsoft Dynamics, Syspro, Epicor, Sage) as well as MES and database systems. LSE's competitive positioning rests on the proprietary 80/Twenty implementation methodology developed by Lean Scheduling Group, which structures deployments across six phases — Assessment, Design, Configure, Integrate, Test, and Deploy — using an agile, foundation-level approach. Supporting educational assets include "The Little Blue Book on Scheduling" (available in English and German), digital flipbooks (SnapShot, ShopFloor, Block Scheduler, LAB APS Vertical in English, German, and Croatian), and multi-format thought-leadership content (videos, blog, 10 APS Myths, 12 Immutable Laws of Scheduling). The technology was validated by Siemens' 2013 acquisition of Preactor and continued heavy R&D investment.

LSE's business model is entirely professional-services based, generating revenue from APS implementation consulting, training courses (held at Novo mesto, partner KARčN's Rüsselsheim offices, or online), and short individual 30-minute consultation sessions offered in Slovenian, Croatian, German, and English. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales with direct demo requests, complemented by content marketing, LinkedIn, YouTube, and in-person expert workshops across Slovenia, Croatia, and German-speaking markets. The company has received modest public funding — €30,000 in 2019 and €8,000 in 2020 — from the Republic of Slovenia and European Regional Development Fund for digital presence upgrades, but no private equity or venture capital rounds are disclosed.

Name

Lean Scheduling Europe

Legal name

Lean Scheduling Europe d.o.o.

Website

https://lean-scheduling.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lean Scheduling Europe (LSE) is a Slovenia-based boutique consulting firm that implements Opcenter APS (formerly Preactor, Siemens-owned) for manufacturers across Slovenia, Croatia, and German-speaking Europe, using its proprietary 80/Twenty methodology to deliver finite-capacity production scheduling solutions integrated with major ERP systems.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Novo mesto

HQ country

Slovenia

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. APS Implementation Services: LSE provides comprehensive APS design and implementation consulting services including assessment, design, configuration, integration, testing, deployment, and post-implementation support phases. Revenue is generated through professional services engagements.
2. APS Training Courses: LSE conducts APS courses held at their offices in Novo mesto, Slovenia, at partner KARŌN's offices in Rüsselsheim, Germany, or online. Courses require payment confirmation two weeks before participation.
3. Digital Content: LSE provides digital content including flipbooks for Opcenter APS, SnapShot, ShopFloor, and LAB APS Vertical in English, German, and Croatian languages.
4. Consultation Services: Short individual 30-minute sessions with LSE experts available by prior appointment, offered online via Teams Meeting in multiple languages.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Lean Scheduling Europe (LSE) is a consulting and implementation partner for Opcenter APS (formerly Preactor), a Siemens-owned Advanced Planning & Scheduling software for manufacturers. LSE delivers end-to-end APS design and implementation services using its proprietary 80/Twenty methodology (covering Assessment, Design, Configure, Integrate, Test, and Deploy), plus training courses, expert workshops, and individual consulting sessions targeting manufacturing companies across European markets.

Product overview

Lean Scheduling Europe (LSE) is a consulting and implementation partner for Opcenter APS (formerly Preactor), a Siemens-acquired Advanced Planning & Scheduling software. The core product is Opcenter APS, which uses heuristic rule-based sequencing for manufacturing scheduling optimization. LSE's portfolio includes digital content products — SnapShot, ShopFloor, Block Scheduler, and LAB APS Vertical — delivered as interactive flipbooks in multiple languages (English, German, Croatian), serving as product overview and training resources. The company also offers consulting services built around its proprietary 80/Twenty implementation methodology (covering Assessment, Design, Configure, Integrate, Test, and Deploy phases), APS training courses (held in Novo mesto, Slovenia, or online), and expert workshops and events. Educational resources include 'The Little Blue Book on Scheduling' (available in English and German), which underpins the consulting methodology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Opcenter APS (formerly Preactor) An Advanced Planning & Scheduling software using heuristic rule-based sequencing for manufacturing production scheduling. Designed to work alongside ERP systems to handle finite capacity scheduling and provide visual scheduling tools. Acquired by Siemens in 2013 and now sold under the Opcenter brand.
• APS Design and Implementation Service (80/Twenty Methodology)

Quantifiable outcome

• Fast return on investment by quickly improving plant scheduling ability
• +4 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Siemens (Opcenter)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2013Siemens acquired Preactor in June 2013, renamed it Opcenter APS, and has made major commitments to invest heavily to keep it as the world's leading APS solution. This acquisition validates the technology's strength.
• Lean Scheduling International (LSI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010LSI is the parent company and co-founding partner of LSE. Mike Liddell and Dan Hahn are co-founders of LSI. LSI announced the opening of LSE as its first European office in January 2010 in Novo mesto, Slovenia. LSE uses LSI's methodology and tools developed by the Lean Scheduling Group. LSI's VP Responsible for European Operations oversees LSE.
• KARŌNminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKARŌN is LSE's training partner in Rüsselsheim, Germany where APS courses are conducted for German-speaking markets.
• Eva L. GabrijelminorOthersEva L. Gabrijel serves as the primary contact person for questions about LSE activities, events, and courses ([email protected]).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AIMMS: Supply-chain planning and scheduling platform with optimization roots, frequently named alongside Opcenter APS in APS evaluations for manufacturing and CPG customers. Comparable end-market and use cases.
• PlanetTogether: APS software vendor focused on mid-market manufacturers, offering advanced planning and scheduling capabilities that directly compete with Opcenter APS for the same ERP-using customer segment LSE targets.
• ABLE Production Optimizer (ABLE Technologies): French APS vendor with a heuristics-based production scheduling engine, positioned in similar discrete-manufacturing use cases and frequently compared with Opcenter APS in European evaluations.
• Asprova: Japanese-developed APS with strong presence in European discrete manufacturing, offering heuristic rule-based scheduling comparable to Opcenter APS for ERP-integrated production environments.
• Flexis AG: German APS vendor supplying production planning and sequencing software to European manufacturers. Direct competitor with overlapping German-speaking customer base and comparable discrete-manufacturing positioning.
• Lean Scheduling International (LSI): US-based parent of LSE and co-developer of the 80/Twenty methodology and The Little Blue Book on Scheduling. Closest comparable firm in terms of methodology, content and consulting approach, serving as the North American counterpart to LSE's European operation.
• MIE Solutions (MAPLES APS): APS software provider targeting mid-market manufacturers, frequently benchmarked against Opcenter APS for SMB and mid-market production scheduling engagements.

Broad incumbents

• Aspen Technology: Large industrial-optimization vendor with APC and scheduling capabilities across process industries. A broader portfolio incumbent whose products are sometimes evaluated alongside Opcenter APS for plant scheduling.
• Siemens Digital Industries Software (Opcenter APS): Owner of Opcenter APS (formerly Preactor), the core technology LSE resells and implements. Directly comparable as the underlying product vendor and the partner whose go-to-market defines LSE's channel economics.
• Dassault Systèmes DELMIA Quintiq: Enterprise APS and supply-chain planning suite widely deployed in European discrete and process manufacturing. Competes head-to-head with Opcenter APS at the higher end of the market where LSE's customers also evaluate solutions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/lean-scheduling-europe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lean-scheduling-europe-d-o-o

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Lean Scheduling Europe