Within just six months, all processes from manufacturing and warehousing to online sales and delivery of the new Eterna textile face masks were mapped. These measures lay the foundation for the newly launched Eterna Tech-Stack project to convert all lines and company processes to a state-of-the-art platform in an omnichannel context.

• There are many traditions but this one has a bright future: What began in 1863 with the part-stiffened shirt collar is still a thread running through the success story of the fashion company Eterna. With every innovation that the long-established company has created in the course of its existence, it has also focused on future-oriented business processes. For their digitalization – an important step for Eterna – Xalution group GmbH was brought on board, an official Microsoft Gold Partner and experienced provider of consulting and IT services. Since August, 2020 it has been supporting Eterna in the introduction of Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations.

Bosse Küllenberg, CTO at Eterna:

“The year 2020 in particular has shown that we need to be able to change or expand our product range quickly. Our textile face masks are the best example. Our existing system landscape does not offer enough flexibility. Thanks to the new software and the know-how of the Xalution team in the fashion sector, we were already able to start the online sale of our textile face masks on the new platform in January. From now on, we can also react faster to market events and customer needs.”

Implementation with “start-up spirit”

The project was already launched in mid-August 2020. With Microsoft Dynamics 365 as a modern platform, Eterna also retains its best-of-breed approach. Even though the focus in the medium and long term is on replacing the entire merchandise and financial management systems used to date, the mindset of the collaboration between Eterna and Xalution is driven by a start-up spirit. The project team enjoys more freedom than is often the case in ERP projects. Within the framework of a greenfield approach, all processes of the textile face mask division are mapped from scratch in the new, cloud-based ERP platform at high speed and with maximum agility – for all channels and for both the stationary and the online business. The best-of-breed approach is always applied.

Xalution Managing Director Tobias Endl:

“We deliberately design the infrastructure to be open for industry-specific solutions. For example, x4fashion suite will be used in the course of the project, which also includes the K3 fashion solution and specifically supports the industry-specific processes in the retail and fashion sector.” Thanks to this start-up spirit and the associated open mindset, Eterna benefits from another important advantage: with each project phase, a milestone is reached and usable added value is created. In this example, this was the consistent mapping of a complete product line and the textile face mask division including webshop in the new Microsoft platform.

With the new solution, Eterna is now faster, more transparent and more flexible – and the newly created potential for automation means that resources can be used more efficiently. The project proves that long-established companies keep their traditions alive, but also have to keep thinking outside the box to maintain a sustainable future. Through the integration of future-oriented solutions and their optimal use in its own business processes, Eterna continues to impress with quality, innovation and customer orientation after almost 160 years. This is also precisely where the greatest advantage lies: Eterna customers benefit directly from the innovations – from product selection in the shop to delivery as well as transparency in the overall process.

• Since 1863, Eterna has stood for timelessly modern shirts and blouses that meet the highest quality criteria. Production takes place predominantly in Europe, especially in the company’s own factory in Slovakia. The group employs around 1,000 people, around 600 of whom work in its own production facility in Bánovce/Slovakia (EU). In 2000, the Passau-based shirt and blouse specialist was the only manufacturer in the fashion world to be certified with the highest Oeko-Tex standard, which guarantees environmentally friendly production and fair working conditions (Made in Green). Eterna’s comprehensive and holistic sustainability strategy also includes a traceable supply chain, partial compensation of CO2 emissions, a particularly sustainable casual collection and many other building blocks. Eterna’s sustainable commitment is reflected by the hashtag #naturally. Find out more at www.eterna-naturally.com. In 2019, around 4.3 million shirts, blouses, ties and accessories were sold. Across Europe, the fashion provider, which belongs to the Quadriga Capital investor group, supplies around 3,600 partner POS and operates 55 of its own retail stores. The Managing Partner is Henning Gerbaulet.

• Xalution group GmbH successfully implements industry solutions for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for wholesale, retail and omnichannel companies in the sports and fashion industry. The international team of around 100 consultants, developers and database specialists can provide services in more than ten languages. As a certified Microsoft Gold Partner, Xalution offers the entire efficient Microsoft product portfolio, as well as its extensions, such as industry-specific add-ons (e.g. x4fashion suite) and the associated services. The core of the services includes the optimization of business processes, the most efficient use of business software and digitalization services. With many years of experience in international projects with complex organizational challenges, the company offers stable and reliable solutions.