software4production GmbH (S4P) was founded in 2009 by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Joachim Berlak and develops modular factory software for mid-sized industrial companies as well as plants and subsidiaries of large enterprises. Our solutions combine MES, Industry 4.0, automation, AI, ERP/PPS integration and shop floor processes into a scalable platform for the digital factory. S4P has received multiple awards for innovation, MES, process control, automation and resilient factories. At the same time, we invest more than 40 percent of our annual revenue in research and development. This results in practical solutions that meet current production requirements and bring future technologies into industrial use at an early stage.
Our mission is innovative factory software
Our mission is to improve industrial value creation through innovative factory software. We develop modular solutions that increase transparency, efficiency, quality and flexibility in production.
The focus is not on individual functions, but on end-to-end processes from planning through digital work preparation, operating data and machine data acquisition, WMS/warehouse/logistics, process control through to key figures. In this way we realize solutions for automation, traceability, the resilient factory, energy efficiency, digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI), real-time process control as well as for cyber-physical production systems.
Awards for our factory software
Our solutions have received multiple awards for innovative strength, practical suitability and technological relevance:
- Finalist 2025 for AI in the factory
- Finalist 2024 for digital transformation
- Factory Innovation Award in the resilient factory category
- Factory Software of the Year 2020 for automation and process control
- Factory Software of the Year 2019 for Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
- Factory Software of the Year 2018 for Industry 4.0
- IT Innovation Award 2012 in the Industry and Logistics category
- NOAE Innovation Award of the automotive industry 2010
These awards reflect our ambition: we do not develop off-the-shelf standard software, but field-proven solutions for real challenges in industrial production.
Modular solutions for the digital factory
S4P offers a modular solution portfolio for core tasks in production:
- 4APS: multi-resource planning, manufacturing control center and detailed scheduling
- 4AVO: digital work preparation, routings, articles, bills of materials and customer/production orders
- 4BDE: operating data acquisition, confirmations, times, quantities and scrap
- 4MDE: machine data acquisition, machine states and real-time data
- 4PRO: WMS, warehouse management, material flow and intralogistics
- 4SPC: real-time process control and statistical process control
- 4MGT: key figures, OEE, KPI, reporting and management cockpit
The modules can be introduced individually or combined into an end-to-end MES solution. This creates a scalable platform that grows with the requirements of the company.
Focus on mid-sized industrial companies
Our solutions are aimed in particular at mid-sized industrial companies as well as plants and subsidiaries of large enterprises. Typical areas of application are:
- Machinery and plant engineering
- Metal / plastics processing
- Tool and mold making
- Automotive
- Electronics / drive / battery
- Medical technology / optics
- Additive manufacturing
- Wood processing / furniture
- Learning factories and training institutions
S4P combines industrial practical experience with a high degree of technical adaptability. Our solutions are scalable, integration-capable and transferable to different production environments.
Quality, technology and integration
Our software development is DIN ISO 9001:2015 certified and follows a structured, agile development process according to ISO 15504. Technologically, we rely on Java/Jakarta EE, open interfaces and integration-capable architectures.
S4P solutions can be integrated with ERP systems such as SAP ERP / SAP Business One, Sage 100 / Sage Farmac, ams.ERP, Alphaplan / CVS, Infor:LN | Infor:com, PSIPenta / Proalpha / AP P2Plus, Microsoft Dynamics AX | NAV, MyFactory / UniPPS as well as individual ERP systems.
This creates an end-to-end connection between ERP/PPS, production planning, shop floor, machines, warehouse, quality assurance and management.
Research and product development
Research and development are a central component of our corporate strategy. S4P invests more than 40 percent of its revenue in research and development each year, well above the industry average.
Our current and previous research projects focus on topics with direct benefit for industrial practice:
- resilient factories
- cyber-physical production systems
- artificial intelligence in the factory
- real-time process control
- digital transformation of production
- energy efficiency and sustainability
- traceability and transparent value creation
- automation and adaptive production systems
At S4P, research projects result in concrete product features that are used in our modular solutions for MES, APS, digital work preparation, BDE, MDE, WMS, SPC and production key figures.
Would you like to learn how S4P can digitalize your production?
Arrange an appointment and discuss your requirements together with us.