
Cross interview
- Edouard CATRICE, President of the ELCIA Group
- Hugues HUSSIN, CEO of ELCIA Belgium
Edouard, can you tell us about RAMASOFT, which developed the EasyWin solution 30 years ago?
Edward CATRICE: “The RAMASOFT company is in fact the historic publisher of EasyWin, driven by the visionary spirit of Bart DEVRIESE.
They were the first to develop a solution under Windows, in the mid-90s. This seems normal today, but at the time, no Carpentry software publisher had done it! It was unprecedented with a revolutionary interface. The EasyWin solution was totally innovative, a real technological breakthrough. RAMASOFT was the leader for years with EasyWin, particularly in France. But it must be recognized that in the 2000s, the company did not make the right choices and lost its No. 1 position.
But the spirit of innovation was still there and in the early 2010s: new technological breakthrough! RAMASOFT developed Ramasoft.Net, its 3D Window configurator. Here too, they were the first to develop such a solution with a 3D approach. This allowed them to build a huge competitive advantage. Being able to visualize the window as it will be manufactured, have native cutting plans, view the machining process, save considerable time on configuration thanks to its graphical interface: this 3D configurator is unique!
But offering the best technology is not enough to achieve success: you need to develop user support services, configuration assistance, the sales force, etc. Which was not RAMASOFT's strong point. This is one of the reasons that motivated the managers to turn to ELCIA in 2018.
ELCIA entered the capital of RAMASOFT in March 2018 in the form of a 33% stake. Can you remind us of your vision?
Edouard CATRICE: "Yes, for our part, we were won over by RAMASOFT's business expertise and its ability to innovate by developing the first 1D Window configurator on the market. We were convinced of our ability to help Ramasoft develop in France. And that's what we did since we set up a team of 3 dedicated people within ELCIA, including 5 technical experts, to ensure all distribution, support and assistance for the solution in France. The results are there: nearly 4 new customers are producing their joinery with Ramasoft.
But distributing Ramasoft in France was not our primary objective. We had two ambitions:
- The first was to develop, based on Ramasoft technology, a 1D configuration service for production and connect it to our Diapason ERP. This solution, which we have named “Maestro”, will be launched with the first pilot customers in the coming weeks.
- The 2nd was to develop the first 1D Window commercial configurator that we will embed in our commercial management solutions such as ProDevis or MyPricer. This will thus complement the 3D solutions developed for Closure and Blinds by our partner AlloTools.
Our minority position at the time was necessary and sufficient to secure the launch of these development projects and to get to know the company."
5 years later, you bought 100% of their capital. Can you explain this decision to us?
Edouard CATRICE: “As always, it’s above all a story of people! We have been working with Hugues for 5 years, our understanding is excellent. 5 years ago, I was talking about a real solid partnership, a project and a long-term commitment. I was not wrong! We made the right choice. Bart DEVRIESE’s wish to retire was an opportunity for us to buy back 100% of the capital and offer Hugues the opportunity to remain CEO of RAMASOFT, while becoming a shareholder of the Group so that our interests are aligned. Hugues is so aligned with the ELCIA project that he decided to reinvest at the Group level. He joins the Group’s CODIR alongside other key executives of the company.
By taking control of RAMASOFT, we are definitively securing our investments, and will be able to further structure the company to improve its quality processes and develop its commercial activities in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Hugues HUSSIN: "This is great news for the software, for our teams, for all our customers and partners! The ELCIA Group is a solid, sustainable and leading company. This new step will allow us to continue developing Ramasoft software in Belgium and Europe, to grow, to innovate. Edouard and I are totally in sync on Ramasoft's vision of the future.
It is a huge opportunity to be able to benefit from the ELCIA Group's tools, its processes, its expertise in professions such as sales, marketing, HR and IT. ELCIA will pull us up, particularly in terms of the service and support provided to our customers.
It is also a huge plus for the RAMASOFT teams. ELCIA is recognized for its values and in particular its commitment to the well-being of its employees. In addition to securing our resources in Belgium, many development opportunities will open up to them.
Edouard CATRICE: “I am very happy that the RAMASOFT teams are fully joining the ELCIA family. To mark this, we have decided to rename the company “ELCIA Belgium”. Its mission will be to develop the 3D configuration and distribute the ELCIA Group’s solutions on its territory. We will invest in resources for this. The Ramasoft brand will be retained for the software.
This is a new step that the ELCIA Group is taking. What developments and new features can we expect for the Carpentry, Blinds, Closure market?
Edouard CATRICE: "Ramasoft's 3D Window configurator is a real gem! Beyond the Maestro project and the commercial 3D that I discussed, this 3D technology is structuring to achieve our long-term objective and thus offer a complete digital chain that connects all the players in the value chain, from the manufacturer to the end customer.
Tomorrow, the end customer will be able to visualize their product in 3D, as it will be manufactured. No more unpleasant surprises about proportions or mass effects! This 3D will be transmitted to the manufacturer for the launch of its production and thus avoid all errors related to re-entries.
Ramasoft at Batimat: visit the ELCIA Group stand
The Ramasoft teams will be present at the Batimat/Equipbaie trade fair from September 30 to October 3. Find them on the ELCIA Group stand – Stand H6 – F044.
An ever stronger Group spirit!
“The ELCIA Group is a strong, committed and assumed state of mind,” explains Edouard CATRICE. “Joining us goes well beyond simple business. It means sharing our values and commitments. It means being together and remaining united in good times and bad. It means forming a real family.”
Joining us also means walking hand in hand with a leading Group that has been recognized for over 25 years. The ELCIA brand conveys strong values in the eyes of its customers and its market. These are all things that our subsidiaries carry and advocate. And this must be felt, starting with their name.
We have decided to standardize the name of our subsidiaries around ELCIA, the Group's brand: the RAMASOFT company therefore becomes ELCIA Belgium. For its part, the brand of the Ramasoft software solution, well known on the market, continues.