Location/Region: Panama City, PAN
Industry: Sale and rental of heavy port equipment
Apps implemented: Sales, Project, Rental, Inventory, Field Service, Employees, Maintenance, Accounting.
Software
Replaced: Spreadsheets
Size of the company: 20 in the Americas, >60 in the world
Hosting type: Odoo Online
Running a business that operates across continents and manages multimillion-euro equipment requires flawless coordination. For Forkliftcenter, one of the world’s largest providers of heavy port equipment, Odoo has become the backbone of its operations in the Americas, streamlining invoicing, inventory, maintenance, and workshop management, while saving the company up to 70% in time and efficiency.
Forkliftcenter was founded in 2002 by Bjørn André de la Porte, who began working with his stepfather in the equipment business at a young age. What started as a small company has grown into a global leader in the sale and rental of heavy port equipment, such as reach stackers, port cranes, tractors, trailers, and forklifts.
The company is proudly brand-independent, maintaining one of the world’s largest stocks of both new and secondhand equipment, an unusual feat in an industry where machines can cost anywhere from €100,000 to €700,000 or more. Customers worldwide recognize Forkliftcenter not only for its extensive inventory but also for its reliable service and down-to-earth organizational culture.
"What makes us different from the rest is that we keep a big stock of equipment always available, which is very rare in our business. We are still expanding."
The Challenge: An ERP for the Americas Expansion
When Forkliftcenter first expanded to the Americas in 2013, the region’s administration depended heavily on its Amsterdam head office. Everything from invoicing to stock management required coordination overseas, a process that was slow, manual, and highly dependent on office hours in Europe.
Administrative tasks were still being managed by hand, and simple processes like generating an invoice could be delayed by hours or even days.
"Before, the invoice was first done by hand, somebody had to write it over, put it in a physical printer, and so on. It was very time-consuming."
Why Odoo Was the Right Fit
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Forkliftcenter took the opportunity to search for solutions that could make its Americas operations independent. While evaluating different options, the team was introduced to Odoo by a local dealer in Panama. The flexibility of renting the software rather than buying, combined with demonstrations that proved Odoo was closest to their needs, made the decision clear.
Wouters, who had prior experience managing software changes in Belgium, quickly embraced Odoo: “It was the application which came closest to our needs. Cost-wise, it was very interesting. I liked it, and we started small, but quickly realized we could cover almost everything.”
Forkliftcenter in the Americas now runs nearly its entire operation on Odoo, using apps such as Sales for quotations, invoices, and customer follow-ups; Project for job management and timesheets; Rental for heavy equipment; Inventory & Barcode for spare parts and workshop supplies; Maintenance for tracking service needs; Accounting for localized financial processes; and Employees & Field Service to connect workshop and port activities.
Independence from Head Office: The Americas division now handles its own administration, reporting only monthly to headquarters. All invoicing, stock management, and project tracking is done locally, accelerating decision-making and operations.
Time Savings of up to 70%: By replacing manual processes with Odoo automation, efficiency in the warehouse, workshop, and port increased by at least 70%. In sales, Wouters estimates tasks are now completed 50% faster.
Workshop and Field Integration: With Odoo’s Field Service and Barcode apps, mechanics start and stop jobs by scanning barcodes. Work orders that once required manual paperwork are now digital, reducing errors and saving significant time.
Inventory Accuracy: Spare parts and equipment stock is now managed in real time. According to Wouters, “before, inventory was always off. Now, since it’s done with barcodes, there are a lot fewer mistakes.”
Scalability for Growth: Starting with just a price list of spare parts, the system has expanded to cover every aspect of operations. The Americas team can now manage projects and administration with far fewer bottlenecks.
"Efficiency was raised by at least 70%. Sales tasks are 50% faster. Before Odoo, everything was by hand. Now, everything comes out of the system."
What’s Next for Forkliftcenter
Looking ahead, Forkliftcenter plans to expand its service business to new countries and broaden the range of brands and products it represents, particularly in Colombia, where the market potential is significant. The company is also exploring opportunities in locations such as Guyana and the Bahamas.
In the Americas, Forkliftcenter is hiring additional salespeople and back-office staff to strengthen its service, spare parts, and distribution presence. While the company already uses most of Odoo’s core apps, its strategy is to maximize existing tools before considering new modules.
Forkliftcenter’s journey highlights how even complex, global businesses can achieve dramatic efficiency gains with the right ERP solution. For other companies in heavy equipment, logistics, or beyond, Forkliftcenter’s experience shows that Odoo is more than software, it’s a foundation for sustainable growth.
