Forterro, a pan-European provider of ERP solutions for industrial SMEs and mid-sized companies, has announced the acquisition of Klaes, a leading software provider specializing in management and configuration solutions for manufacturers of windows, doors, façades, and conservatories. The transaction forms part of a structured external growth strategy launched following the entry of Partners Group into Forterro’s capital in 2022.
For executives monitoring the evolution of the industrial software market, this transaction deserves close attention. In a single move, it encapsulates several strategic dynamics that are reshaping the competitive landscape across Europe.
Analysis and insights by the experts at AURIS Finance, M&A and financial engineering advisory firm.
Over the past three years, Forterro has undergone a profound transformation. The group now generates €375 million in revenue, up from €260 million just two years ago, employs 3,000 people, and offers a portfolio of 14 industry-specific software solutions serving more than 25,000 industrial customers across Europe.
In France, the group already operates through four established brands: Clipper, Helios, Silog, and Sylob, all recognized references for industrial SMEs seeking to modernize and structure their information systems.
The ambition is clear: to quadruple the size of the group within five years by combining organic growth with targeted acquisitions. Deals completed in 2025 alone have already generated more than €100 million in additional revenue, demonstrating disciplined execution of this growth roadmap.
2022: The Turning Point as Partners Group Accelerates the Strategy
The strategic shift began in 2022, when Forterro launched an active buy-and-build strategy. Since then, the group has acquired BM Group in the UK, Orgadata in Germany, Danish business intelligence software provider TARGIT, Griesser EDV, and now Klaes.
Five acquisitions in just a few years, each driven by a clearly defined geographic or functional rationale rather than opportunistic diversification.
Klaes: The Missing Piece in a Comprehensive Materials Offering
Founded in 1983, the German family-owned company Klaes has established itself as a leading player in its niche. Its ERP software and configuration tools for wood and PVC joinery manufacturers are now used in more than 50 countries.
This international footprint and loyal customer base represent a highly strategic asset.
The industrial logic behind the acquisition is immediately apparent. Through Orgadata, Forterro already owned Logikal, Europe’s leading software solution for aluminium profile configuration. With Klaes, the group now completes its coverage of the three core materials used in the industrial joinery market: aluminium, wood, and PVC.
This unique combination, previously unmatched by any software provider at this scale, creates substantial commercial and technological synergies.
Beyond large industrial players, the acquisition also strengthens Forterro’s position among smaller specialist manufacturers, a high-value niche often underserved by generalist software vendors.
Following the transaction, this segment is expected to account for more than 25% of the group’s consolidated business activity.
Industrial ERP in Europe: Consolidation is becoming the new market standard
The Forterro–Klaes transaction reflects a broader structural trend that is reshaping the European industrial software sector.
The forces driving this transformation are well identified: accelerating factory digitalization, structural pressure on margins, the rise of artificial intelligence, and increasingly demanding regulatory requirements.
In this environment, achieving critical scale is no longer simply a competitive advantage, it has become a prerequisite for survival. Without sufficient scale, software companies struggle to fund ambitious R&D programs or maintain a coherent multi-country presence.
In this context, the support of an investor such as Partners Group acts as a decisive accelerator by providing acquisition financing capacity, governance structuring, and operational discipline.
Similar dynamics can be observed in other recent sector consolidations, including the integration of PC Soft into the Volaris ecosystem and the strategic alignment between Cegid and EBP.
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