Nord-Lock Group
From manual orders to a scalable digital model
Nord-Lock Group
From manual orders to a scalable digital model
How a global manufacturer is rolling out connected B2B commerce across 28 countries
About
Nord-Lock Group
About
Nord-Lock Group
Focus
Global leader in bolt securing technologies, supporting critical industrial applications
Customers
Primarily serves distributors and OEMs with complex, high-frequency ordering needs
Markets
Operates multiple product brands across international markets, supported by 700 employees across 65 countries and 32 global offices.
What Success Looks Like
with Sana Commerce
What Success Looks Like
with Sana Commerce
Starting point:
a strong business, built on relationships
Nord-Lock Group is a global manufacturer of bolt securing solutions, working across industries like construction, railway, and mining where reliability is critical.
Like many manufacturers in this space, the business is built on strong relationships. Customers know what they need, orders are often repeatable, and a lot of the value comes from how well you support them over time. That was reflected in how orders were handled.
They came in through email, phone, and other direct channels, and customer service teams managed a large part of the process manually. It worked well from a relationship point of view, but it also meant that a lot of time was spent on tasks that were repetitive and hard to scale.
When Ashley Ronan stepped into the e-commerce manager role, that was the reality.
"We’re a very traditional company… we’ve been using conventional channels for over 40 years.”
Her task wasn't just to introduce a web store. She had to figure out how digital could actually support the way the business operates, across dozens of markets, and build a model that the business could run and grow from the inside, without losing what already worked.
The first lesson:
Digital only works if its connected
Nord-Lock had already explored ecommerce before working with Sana, but the setup did not deliver the impact the business needed. The web store operated separately from the ERP, which meant that every order placed online still had to be manually entered into internal systems.
In practice, this meant that digital did not reduce the workload. It simply introduced another way for orders to come in.
“It wasn’t connected to any system at all… everything that came in through the web store was like getting an email. You still have to manually put it into the system.”
At the same time, traditional ordering channels remained dominant. These processes supported strong customer relationships, but they also created clear operational challenges as the business grew:
- Manual handling took time
- Processes differed across regions
- Scaling required adding more effort rather than improving efficiency.
This made one thing clear: digital on its own was not enough. Without integration into the core systems, it could not deliver real long-term value.
The shift:
From digital channel to connected model
The shift:
From digital channel to connected model
The turning point came with Microsoft Dynamics. As Nord-Lock was in the process of rolling out its ERP globally, it created an opportunity to rethink ecommerce from the ground up. Not as a separate channel, but as an extension of how the business already works.
That principle shaped everything that followed. The goal was simple: when a customer logs in, they should see exactly what the business sees.
Show real-time, customer-specific pricing
Reflect accurate availability
Handle orders without manual re-entry
This is where the choice of platform became critical. Nord-Lock needed something that could work directly with Dynamics, without requiring heavy customization or a large internal team to maintain it.
For Ashley, E-commerce Manager at Nord-Lock Group that also meant finding a platform she could actually own and manage herself. Without a large internal team or budget for ongoing consultancy, she needed something that came with built-in support, continuous development, and the ability to learn and operate it independently. A system that required heavy customization or external developers wasn't a viable option.
“I wanted something that works with Dynamics out of the box… I didn’t want to build something custom.”
With Sana Commerce, Nord-Lock was able to bring that ERP reality directly into the customer experience. Instead of creating a separate system to manage, the web store is built on top of Dynamics, using the same data, logic, and processes that already exist in the business.
That meant every order, every price, every customer agreement flowing through one connected system, with no manual re-entry, no duplicate processes, and no gap between what the business sees and what the customer sees.
Nord-Lock Group is a global company, but we still work in a very close and connected way, with strong communication and a real willingness to listen to each other. When the value of the project became clear, everyone was on board and ready to make it happen.
Ashley Ronan
E-commerce Manager at Nord-Lock
The roll out didn't start big.
It started smart.
Instead of launching globally, the first web store went live in South America.
Not because it was the biggest market, but because it was the right one to start with.
That combination mattered, high volume meant immediate impact and a supportive team meant faster adoption. More importantly, it created a safe place to learn.
Because the first rollout quickly showed something that wasn’t obvious before: digital doesn’t just digitize processes, it exposes them.
- Where pricing was still handled manually.
- Where processes differed between regions.
- Where assumptions had gone unchallenged.
That visibility allowed Nord-Lock to start aligning how it works, not just how it sells. From there, the rollout expanded:
- 10 web store launched since 2023
- 28 countries live today
- More regions already in progress
Each new web store builds on what came before.
Adoption:
Where the real change happens
Launching the web store was only part of the process. The bigger shift came in how both teams and customers started using it.
Internally, teams were used to handling orders manually and working closely with customers. Moving to a digital model required building trust in the system and confidence in the data behind it.
“It’s really about giving them the knowledge… making sure they understand it and trust it.”
That meant investing time in training, documentation, and ongoing support, not just at launch but throughout the rollout. Customers followed a similar path. Rather than forcing a change, Nord-Lock focused on guiding them through the experience and showing the value.
“Adoption takes time, but that hands‑on approach helps customers gradually become more comfortable using online ordering."
Once customers started using the web store, the benefits became clear. They could access their pricing, view order history, manage invoices, and reorder more efficiently.
Adoption didn’t happen overnight, but it built steadily as both teams and customers became more comfortable with the new way of working.
Results:
Where digital starts to deliver real impact
Results:
Where digital starts to deliver real impact
In regions where the web store has been live the longest, digital ordering has become a consistent part of how customers buy. In markets like Spain and South America, more than half of all orders are now placed through the web store.
That shift is already changing how the business operates.
At the same time, the way the solution is delivered has made it possible to manage this rollout centrally without building a large team. Instead of relying on heavy development or external consultants, Nord-Lock has been able to work with a platform that is supported, continuously evolving, and designed to be managed by the business itself.
Given the scope and responsibility involved in my role, hands‑on support and the ability to work independently have made a real difference. With Sana, it feels like a team effort, not just a consultant billing hours.
This combination of ERP integration, platform support, and internal ownership has made it possible to scale digital commerce across regions in a way that is both practical and sustainable.
Wilco Schuurs
Global Sales Director for Nord-Lock
50%
10
10
What's next:
Expanding what works
With a working model now in place, the focus is on continuing the rollout across more regions.
The expansion is closely tied to Nord-Lock’s ongoing Dynamics implementations, which means each new web store is launched as regions become ready. Rather than rolling everything out at once, the approach is to take it step by step and build on what has already been proven.
At the same time, the web store is starting to influence how teams work internally. As more regions come online, it is helping to streamline processes and highlight where ways of working can be improved or aligned.
The goal is a global rollout, and I’m focused on seeing it adopted across all regions over time.
Ashely Ronan, E-commerce Manager at Nord-Lock Group
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