What ILC Group does

ILC Group is a privately held German software and consulting firm founded in 2003 by Dr. Oliver Quirmbach and Stefan Zoller, both former leaders of the PLM division at IDS Scheer AG. The company is headquartered in Bexbach, Germany, with additional offices in Koblenz (Germany), Graz (Austria), and Chicago (USA) through its wholly owned subsidiaries ILC AT GmbH and ILC North America Corp. Its core product is the ⁴PEP PLM Suite, an SAP-integrated Product Lifecycle Management platform comprising twelve functional modules — including Engineering Change Management, Product Structure and Variant Management, Material Master Management, Regulatory Affairs Management, Document Management, Requirements Management, Sample & Prototype Management, and Systems Engineering — plus the Mayla AI Assistant. The platform connects requirements, systems models, software, electronics, mechanics, production, and service into a digital thread, with certified integration to SAP S/4HANA, SAP RISE, and SAP ECTR (via DSC Software AG).

ILC serves exclusively enterprise customers across automotive (Daimler Truck, Preh, Webasto, Kostal, BSH), machinery and plant engineering (Festo, Bosch Rexroth, KSB, Rittal, GROB-WERKE), medical technology and pharmaceuticals (Siemens Healthineers, Sartorius, Ypsomed, Schwabe), and consumer goods (ERCO, GEZE). The revenue model combines ⁴PEP software licensing (perpetual and subscription), recurring software maintenance, and professional services including SAP PLM implementation, PLM strategy consulting, and packaged engagements such as the PLM Compass and Change Management Compass. ILC holds the highest-tier SAP Special Expertise Partner PLM certification, is DEKRA-certified to ISO 9001, and distributes indirectly through NTT DATA Business Solutions, DSC Software AG, and PROSTEP Group.

The company markets through a consulting-led, enterprise field-sales motion anchored on its website, an extensive library of named-customer case studies, vertical-specific brochures, and lead-generation content (PLM Compass, Change Management Compass). No revenue, headcount, or funding figures are publicly disclosed, and the company remains founder-owned with no disclosed parent or external investors.

Name

ILC Group

Legal name

ILC GmbH

Website

https://ilcgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ILC Group is a German SAP-integrated PLM software and consulting firm serving medium-to-large enterprises in automotive, machinery, medical, and consumer goods, via its ⁴PEP PLM Suite and certified SAP Special Expertise Partner status.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (513210), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Product Lifecycle, NPI & Industrialization (Design-to-Operate) (BPAHAHAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) & Document Automation (BPAEAPAD), Business Rules & Decision Management Platforms (BRMS/DMN) (HDAEAKAG)

Keywords

• SAP PLM software
• Product lifecycle management
• Engineering change management
• SAP consulting services
• Variant configuration management

Headquarters

HQ city

Bexbach

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Software Licensing: ⁴PEP PLM Suite software licensing including perpetual and subscription-based models. Software terms and conditions documentation references both software licensing terms and subscription software licensing terms.
2. SAP PLM Consulting: Implementation and consulting services for SAP PLM solutions, including SAP PLM 7, SAP PS, cProjects, RPM, SAP Variant Configuration, iPPe, PSM, SAP Engineering Change Management, SAP Document Management, and CAD Integration.
3. PLM Strategy and Process Consulting: Management consulting for PLM strategy, business process management, and organizational change management including PLM Compass and Change Management Compass consultancy packages.
4. Software Maintenance: Maintenance and support services referenced in general terms and conditions documentation.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ILC Group develops and sells the ⁴PEP PLM Suite, an SAP-integrated product lifecycle management software platform that manages engineering data, change processes, variant configuration, and master data. The company complements its software with consulting, implementation, and customization services for SAP environments.

Product overview

ILC Group offers the ⁴PEP PLM Suite as a unified platform with modular architecture that integrates with SAP systems. The core offering consists of ⁴PEP (Process Engine, Engineering Change Management, Regulatory Affairs Management, Document Management, Production Process Planning, Product Structure and Variant Management, Requirements Management, Material Master Management, Sample & Prototype Management, Test & Validation Management, and Project Content/Gates/Deliverables), supplemented by the Mayla AI Assistant and Systems Engineering capabilities. ILC also provides consulting services including SAP PLM Consulting and Implementation, PLM Strategy and Management Consulting, PLM Process Management, and packaged consultancy offerings (Change Management Compass, PLM Compass). The suite enables the digital thread connecting requirements, systems models, software, electronics and product structures, with key differentiators including 40x variant handling efficiency and 50% reduction in change costs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ⁴PEP: A powerful PLM software suite that provides seamless IT support for integrated product engineering processes, leveraging SAP and Microsoft technologies.

Products and services

• ⁴PEP PLM Suite
• SAP PLM Consulting and Implementation Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 40x more product variants managed without additional resources
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers28 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and strategic.

• SAP SEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAP Special Expertise Partner PLM - the highest level of SAP partnership certification. ILC develops and delivers ⁴PEP solutions on SAP platforms with deep integration into SAP S/4HANA, PLM 7, and related SAP modules. SAP provides the underlying ERP platform while ILC delivers specialized PLM capabilities.
• NTT DATA Business Solutions AGmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPortfolio partner where NTT DATA Business Solutions incorporates ⁴PEP into their SAP solution portfolio. NTT DATA is a global IT services provider specializing in SAP solutions from consulting and implementation to managed services. As a portfolio partner, ILC complements NTT DATA's product portfolio with ⁴PEP reference solutions.
• DSC Software AGmajorTechnology or IntegrationSAP Platinum Partner that integrates ⁴PEP modules into SAP ECTR (Engineering Control Center) user interface. This enables joint customers to use ⁴PEP processes, structures, and objects directly within the SAP ECTR environment for greater consistency and productivity in product development.
• PROSTEP GroupstrategicTechnology or IntegrationLeading manufacturer-independent PLM expert collaborating with ILC to develop ⁴PEP Connect solutions for integrating ⁴PEP with various PLM systems based on OpenPDM technology. Supports cross-PLM integration needs for customers in automotive, aerospace, mechanical, and plant engineering sectors.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Oracle (Agile PLM): Incumbent PLM vendor displaced by ILC at GF Piping Systems. Relevant as a benchmark of legacy PLM platforms being actively replaced by ⁴PEP in mid-market industrial accounts.
• SAP SE: Platform vendor and ILC's deepest strategic partner (Special Expertise Partner PLM, RISE-certified). Not a direct competitor in mid-tier PLM modules, but ecosystem anchor — SAP's roadmap is the single biggest determinant of ILC's addressable market.

Emerging players

• Propel Software: Cloud-native Product Lifecycle Management platform targeting manufacturers. Emerging player with a SaaS delivery model that contrasts with ILC's SAP-integrated on-premise emphasis; relevant for future competitive overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Siemens Digital Industries Software: Vendor of Teamcenter PLM, the dominant PLM platform across many of ILC's automotive and machinery customers (e.g., Siemens Healthineers is itself a Siemens entity). Direct competitive overlap in enterprise PLM.
• Dassault Systèmes: Provider of ENOVIA/3DEXPERIENCE PLM. Already integrated with ⁴PEP at Webasto; broad incumbent competing for the same consolidated PLM-platform deals in automotive and industrial customers.
• PTC: Owner of Windchill PLM plus Creo CAD and ThingWorx IoT. Broad incumbent offering overlapping PLM capabilities to many of ILC's target verticals, often displacing niche PLM add-ons in platform-consolidation deals.

Direct peers

• CONTACT Software: German-based PLM/CAD/IoT software vendor serving industrial OEMs. Comparable as a DACH-rooted PLM platform alternative with overlapping customer industries (machinery, automotive, energy).
• Aras Corporation: Enterprise open-source PLM platform serving complex discrete manufacturers (automotive, aerospace, medical). Comparable product positioning to ⁴PEP for mid/large manufacturers managing variants, change, and digital thread.
• DSC Software AG: SAP Platinum Partner that integrates ⁴PEP into SAP ECTR and serves many of the same automotive and industrial customers. Direct peer in the SAP-centric PLM tooling and consulting market.
• PROSTEP AG: German PLM integration specialist collaborating with ILC on ⁴PEP Connect via OpenPDM. Closest direct peer — same DACH base, similar SAP-PLM integration focus, and overlapping customer industries (automotive, aerospace, mechanical engineering).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ilc-gmbh

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 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 ILC Group