Achterhoek Intelligence (AI): driving force for autonomous growth
With nearly 1000 employees, 247TailorSteel is growing by double digits in a shrinking market – thanks to autonomous systems.
Published on April 5, 2025
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In a market where many companies are struggling, 247TailorSteel is a remarkable grower.
During the National Congress of Autonomous Systems in Drachten, CEO Carl Berlo explained how the company from the Achterhoek region of the Netherlands became the European market leader in customized metalworking thanks to far-reaching automation. “We are growing at double-digit rates in a shrinking market because we have prioritized automation from day one.”
247TailorSteel developed its own autonomous technology at an early stage, which now controls all production locations. This allowed the company to set a new standard in the sheet metal processing industry and grow into a leading player in Europe. In his presentation, Berlo shared his vision of the autonomy economy with the audience. His message: smart automation can help any company work more efficiently and grow further.
Metalworking: three flavors
“There are about 15,000 metalworking companies in the Netherlands,” says Berlo. ”They range from sole traders to companies like us, which now employ almost a thousand people.” He sees three types: companies that process metal for their own products, hybrid players that work partly for themselves and partly for others, and the pure service companies. “We fall into the latter group. We do not make our own products, but provide customized metalworking services for others. This varies from a single prototype to series of millions of pieces.”
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With six factories in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, 247TailorSteel serves a market worth around 4 billion euros. The challenge: how do you remain competitive in a market under pressure, with rising costs, falling margins and a scarcity of technical personnel? The answer: automation. But taken to the extreme.
From request to delivery in 48 hours
Traditional metalworking has long lead times: “Twelve to fifteen working days is usual,” says Berlo. “With us, it can be done in 48 hours. Sometimes even faster.” This is because almost the entire process - from request to delivery - is automated.
The customer uploads a 3D drawing via an online portal. “In the past, this was done by email, with a lot of manual checking. Now everything goes through our Sophia software, named after our founder's stepdaughter.” Sophia takes care of the entire chain: calculating quotations, order processing, material planning, production management and logistics. “We have managed to cut 75% of the traditional lead time.”
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A crucial factor is data. ‘Data is our magic word,’ says Berlo. ”Every quotation is input for our algorithms. We have tens of thousands of data points that we use to continuously improve our pricing models.” This takes into account variables such as delivery time, type of material, waste percentage and historical margins. ”Someone who wants us to deliver tomorrow pays more. The better we utilize the material, the lower the cost price.”
Robotics and guided vehicles
This requires a high degree of standardization. “We use the same type of machines everywhere, so that we can plan flexibly between factories without any difference in quality,” he explains. “All production is controlled via our central ‘router box’ which determines where and when an order can best be produced.”
The factories operate 24/7. Automatically guided vehicles (AGVs) drive back and forth with steel plates, robots change tools, and people only operate the machines and unpack the parts. “We would also like to automate the latter, but the technology is not yet advanced enough for that - too much variation in size and shape,” says Berlo.
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Thanks to this set-up, the company was able to utilize 36% more capacity in the first quarter of 2025 than in the same quarter of the previous year. “Each machine generates parameters that we use to improve the next process. We have 45 people working in software development and data science – that's where our real advantage lies.”
Achterhoek intelligence
Although 247TailorSteel is now the market leader in Europe, it remains a typical Achterhoek company, according to Berlo. “We are down-to-earth, pragmatic, and persistent. When nobody wanted to use our software, the founder said: ‘Then I'll buy the machines myself and show them that it works’. And it worked.”
Even the name 'AI' has a twist at the company: “For us, it stands for ‘Achterhoek intelligence’. We have come a long way with that.”
Without autonomous processes, 247TailorSteel would have needed at least 200 extra people, says Berlo. “Our P&L would have looked very different.” His message to the industry: “Anyone who still thinks that automation is an option is on the wrong track. It is a prerequisite for survival – and for growth.”