Australian outdoor adventure gear manufacturer IRONMAN 4X4 has long been a trusted name in the four-wheel-drive (4WD) industry.
With a footprint that now spans Asia-Pacific, the US, South Africa, and the Middle East, its distribution network stretches across 180 countries, supported by 12 warehouses and 11 retail stores.
But as its global reach grew, so did the operational complexity.
Behind the brand’s rugged image, the company faced a fragmented backend — 15 disconnected systems, siloed departments, and heavily manual workflows that hindered its ability to keep up with growing demand.
Recognising that the business needed a stronger digital backbone to support further expansion, IRONMAN 4X4 made a bold move: transitioning to NetSuite OneWorld, an integrated cloud-based platform.
Out with the old
In an interview, Fabian Wolf, Chief Information Officer at IRONMAN 4X4, offered a behind-the-scenes look at how the transformation unfolded from strategy and implementation to what’s coming next.
According to Wolf, legacy systems had created more than a few headaches across IRONMAN 4X4’s global operations.
“Month-end close was time consuming, and limited access to real-time data made managing increasing transaction volumes an uphill battle,” he said.
“We knew we needed to replace the critical systems that supported core processes such as finance, inventory, and order management because they were essential to running the business and supporting our growth globally.”
Beyond the need to streamline, the decision to adopt NetSuite OneWorld was also about integration, particularly with Shopify for e-commerce and Netstock for inventory optimisation.
“These benefits supported our long-term goal of creating a flexible platform that could scale with the business, ultimately supporting our global expansion plans,” Wolf explained.
Overcoming silos and resistance
Implementing a transformation of this scale was no small feat. Wolf admitted that IRONMAN 4X4’s teams were operating in silos at the time, which added complexity to the change.
“We put lots of focus on change. We have a strong champion network across different business units. We made the transformation a business-driven initiative.”
One key turning point, he said, was getting the company’s Owner and Managing Director involved in weekly “Go/No Go” meetings in the final month before go-live.
“The understanding that there was a point of diminishing return and one needed to go live and address issues on the other side. The integration between different vendors to ensure Shopify and Oracle NetSuite work as a unity was another major moment of the program.”
Results that speak volumes
Among the many benefits achieved, Wolf said the company’s 15 per cent annual growth stands out most.
“It’s a testament to the team’s hard work and the benefits of having the right systems in place. However, our 110 per cent increase in B2B Online orders can’t be understated either, as it reflects the scalability and efficiency, we gained by unifying our systems and streamlining processes.”
The shift to real-time data has also significantly changed how the company operates. Access to a single source of truth for financial and operational data has reduced month-end close from 10 days to just two.
“We no longer have to wait days to get reports, manually consolidate data across regions or rely on fragmented information. Decisions that used to take days or weeks can also now be made quickly and confidently. Whether it’s stock levels in a warehouse or financial performance across regions, we have the insights we need at our fingertips.”
With IRONMAN 4X4 expanding across multiple regions in the world, direct integration of Shopify into Netsuite helped them better serve diverse B2B and B2C markets. This method has allowed them to process orders more efficiently and accurately.
“Fifty two per cent of our B2B orders are now fully automated into the warehouse, which has reduced the manual workload on our teams while improving the speed and accuracy of order fulfilment. As a result, inventory levels have dropped by 10 per cent, while for our customers in key regions, this has translated into better product availability and fewer stockouts.”
What’s next?
Looking ahead, Wolf said he is most excited about rolling out CRM, field service modules, along with tapping into artificial intelligence to elevate insights.
“Rolling out NetSuite’s CRM and Field Service Management modules will give us even more visibility with a 360-degree view of the customer journey. Meanwhile, AI-driven analytics will give us deeper insights to make smarter decisions.”
Ultimately, Wolf said the next stage of innovation is about creating a more seamless, personalised experience for customers while staying nimble in an increasingly competitive global market.
Whether it’s anticipating needs, streamlining operations, or spotting new opportunities, IRONMAN 4X4 is clearly driving full speed ahead.