Forterro launches MyForterro.ai for industrial businesses

Forterro has launched MyForterro.ai, an artificial intelligence platform for industrial businesses. It is being rolled out across participating product lines, including UK warehouse management and ERP product Orderwise.

The platform connects AI models with operational data held in Forterro software. It is designed to create AI assistants, automate repetitive work, improve access to business information and support decision-making within existing workflows.

More than 540 customers across Europe took part in an invitation-only programme that helped test and shape the product before launch. Forterro works with more than 27,000 industrial businesses across the UK and Europe.

The launch comes as industrial software suppliers face growing demand from customers to play a bigger role in AI adoption. Research commissioned by Forterro found that 64% of European industrial companies see AI as a top priority, while 74% expect their ERP or specialist software provider to support or guide their AI roadmap.

Customer trials

Early users included companies in several European markets, including E-PERFORMANCE AG, Herba-Plastic AG, modellshop GmbH, Larbaletier and Selenium Medical. Their feedback informed both the platform and Forterro's wider AI plans.

One example cited by Forterro was Spanish food and beverage manufacturer JULIAN SOLER, which expects to save between four and eight hours a day through an AI-based recipe optimisation tool linked to production, laboratory and quality data in its Abas ERP environment.

In the UK, CIE-Group, a distributor of intercom and access-control products, said it had used the software's AI cross-sell function within its workflow. It said this had helped its sales team identify additional opportunities with customers.

"Industrial businesses are relying on Forterro to embed AI where it can make a measurable difference," said Dean Forbes, Chief Executive Officer, Forterro.

"MyForterro.ai combines our deep understanding of the industrial midmarket with the trusted operational data already held across our software ecosystem. It gives customers a practical way to improve productivity, strengthen decision-making and create new commercial value within the workflows they use every day," Forbes said.

Industrial focus

The product has been designed around specific industrial uses, including production optimisation, process automation, knowledge access and decision support. Rather than offering a standalone AI tool, Forterro is positioning it as part of the systems customers already use to run manufacturing, distribution and related operations.

That approach reflects a wider shift in the business software market, where customers increasingly want AI functions built into established platforms rather than deployed separately. For industrial companies, which often rely on ERP and specialist operational systems, the quality and accessibility of existing data can limit how quickly new AI tools are adopted.

By placing the product within its own software estate, Forterro is seeking to tie AI use more closely to the operational records customers already use. Customers can adopt functions that match their priorities, systems and workflows.

CIE-Group's experience was cited as an early commercial example from the UK market. "The biggest impact has been the increase in revenue. The AI cross-sell functionality gives our team relevant recommendations directly within the software, helping us identify more opportunities for customers," said Ashleigh Wilson, Technical Support engineer, CIE-Group.

Forterro has expanded since it was founded in 2012 and now employs 3,000 people across more than 40 offices. Its focus is the industrial midmarket, where manufacturers, distributors and other operational businesses often rely on local or sector-specific software products.

Forbes said the company sees demand for AI in that segment as being driven by practical operational needs rather than broad experimentation. "Industrial businesses want AI that delivers tangible value," he said.

"MyForterro.ai gives our customers a practical way to improve performance, support their people and create better outcomes using the systems and data already at the heart of their operations. The early customer results give us confidence in the value this platform can deliver across the industrial midmarket," Forbes said.