Driving Sustainable Growth Through PLM-ERP Integration: Greenlane’s Digital Transformation Case Study
/At vdR Group, we’ve seen firsthand how the right digital infrastructure can reshape operations, improve collaboration, and enable sustainable growth. One of our most recent success stories comes from Greenlane Renewables, a global leader in biogas desulfurization and upgrading, who partnered with us to modernize their product development and business operations.
The Challenge: Legacy Systems Holding Back Growth
Greenlane has deployed more than 355 biogas upgrading systems across 28 countries, helping waste producers, utilities, and developers turn organic waste into renewable natural gas (RNG). Despite their global success, their Engineer-to-Order (ETO) model had become a bottleneck.
Key challenges included:
Manual rework & duplication – Engineers were forced to create and manage multiple versions of nearly identical files.
Data silos – Engineering data lived in isolation, disconnected from Supply Chain, Finance, and Management.
Version control issues – Tracking changes and ensuring compliance required extra effort.
Slow, error-prone data transfers – Spreadsheets and manual processes delayed workflows.
Limited scalability – Legacy systems couldn’t keep pace with Greenlane’s ambitions for international growth.
Greenlane knew they needed a more integrated, scalable digital foundation.
The Solution: Fusion Manage + NetSuite, Powered by Nexus®
Greenlane embarked on a two-phase digital transformation with vdR Group’s Nexus® middleware at the core:
Phase 1 – Establishing the Foundation
Autodesk Fusion Manage was implemented as the central PLM hub to:
Centralize product data, drawings, and documents
Structure parts and BOMs for reusability and consistency
Streamline engineering change processes for traceability and control
Phase 2 – Seamless ERP Integration
Next, Fusion Manage was integrated with Oracle NetSuite ERP using our Nexus® solution, enabling:
Bi-directional synchronization of BOMs, parts, and vendor data
Real-time updates of inventory, costs, and change statuses
Automated data transfer that eliminated redundant entry and reduced errors
This integration meant processes that previously took days now happened in seconds.
The Results: Agility, Efficiency, and Scalability
The move from ETO to Configure-to-Order (CTO), supported by PLM-ERP integration, produced immediate, measurable results:
Single source of truth – All engineering data was linked, ensuring accuracy and reusability.
Faster design cycles – Engineers focused on innovation instead of admin work.
Cross-functional collaboration – Supply Chain, Quality, and Management gained shared access to real-time data.
Error-free data transfer – Manual bottlenecks were eliminated, improving speed and reliability.
Scalability & compliance – Greenlane is now positioned to scale production globally while ensuring audit readiness.
Cost savings – Thousands of components and documents were reused with confidence, reducing duplicate work.
As Greenlane CEO Brad Douville put it:
“When looking for a solution in an industry that typically operates on a custom-engineered project-by-project approach, we chose Fusion Manage along with vdR’s NetSuite integration to help us scale up and achieve meaningful decarbonization.”
Why It Matters
Greenlane’s journey illustrates a larger truth: digital transformation is not just about technology—it’s about enabling strategy, scalability, and sustainability. By uniting PLM and ERP with Nexus®, Greenlane moved beyond process constraints to become a data-driven enterprise ready for international growth.
At vdR Group, we’re proud to have been part of this transformation. For manufacturers and innovators alike, Greenlane’s story demonstrates that investing in connected digital platforms is more than an IT project—it’s a strategic imperative for long-term resilience and success.