Digitalisation has become a dividing line between growth and stagnation for businesses. The experience of Mareks Cišeiko, Chairman of the Board of “Industrek”, is a clear example. In the “Digitalisation Success Stories” series, he explains how the company moved from fragmented and chaotic data management to a transparent system that has not only streamlined day-to-day operations but also created a foundation for further growth.
The company began its development in the metalworking industry, but rapid growth soon exposed a major problem – information and processes were becoming increasingly difficult to manage. Multiple Excel files, notebooks and disconnected databases created a situation in which the company’s development effectively began to slow down.
“We felt that we were starting to stumble – further growth was no longer possible because we simply couldn’t keep up with task management,” Cišeiko admits.
The solution was digitalisation, although the path towards it was not straightforward. Initially, the company looked for a single universal solution that could address all its challenges. When it became clear that no such system existed, Industrek decided to take a gradual, modular approach. ERP, CRM and task management systems were introduced step by step, while clear objectives and processes were defined in parallel.
“I don’t see how it would be possible without digitalisation,” Cišeiko stresses, explaining that efficiency is crucial in today’s economic environment. One of the most important stages was not only selecting the right technologies, but managing the implementation process itself – from defining objectives and procurement to working with solution providers. A major challenge was establishing a shared understanding of how the systems should work in practice.
As a result, the company moved from scattered data to an integrated system where information is transparent and accessible in one place. The benefits became apparent relatively quickly.
“Within the first three months, we already had accurate real-time data,” Cišeiko says. Whereas information had previously been fragmented across different sources, the company can now monitor its processes within a single system and identify potential problems at an early stage.
Digitalisation has also enabled the company to define and monitor KPIs across sales, project management and production.
“We have completely mastered task management – it is the best thing that could have happened to us,” he adds.
The transformation has also affected employees. Although the introduction of new systems initially caused some concern and caution, the digital tools gradually became part of everyday working life.
Clearly defined responsibilities, measurable results and readily available data have increased motivation, while teamwork has become more structured. The company has also developed an internal knowledge-sharing approach, with employees who mastered the new systems more quickly helping their colleagues.
Cišeiko concludes with a clear message: delaying action is the biggest mistake.
“The worst thing you can do is nothing,” he says. The decision to digitalise may not always be easy, but it can become the turning point that enables a company to move forward rather than remain stuck in place.
Listen to real-life stories from entrepreneurs about how digitalisation helps companies grow, compete and expand into export markets in the “Digitalisation Success Stories” series every Thursday shortly after 2:00 p.m. on Radio SWH and Radio SWH TV.
Latvian companies have access to a wide range of government- and European Union-funded business development support programmes, available through the unified business portal business.gov.lv and its dedicated LIAA platform liaa.business.gov.lv. Companies can find information on various support programmes, ranging from funding for innovation and new product development, export promotion and international cooperation to grants for digitalisation, technology adoption and productivity improvements.
The project is co-funded by the European Union Recovery and Resilience Facility (NextGenerationEU) and the Cohesion Policy Programme 2021–2027. The preparation of this article was funded with support from the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them.
