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ANWB Retail is part of the Royal Dutch Touring Club (ANWB), a trusted household name in the Netherlands known for its wide range of mobility, travel, and roadside assistance services. With over 5 million members, more than 70 retail stores across the country, and over80 million annual visits to anwb.nl, ANWB plays a vital role in the daily lives of Dutch consumers.

As a leading retail organization within this ecosystem, ANWB Retail manages a dynamic calendar of promotional campaigns across multiple channels. While the existing processes had served the business well for years, the growing complexity of campaign planning and the need for faster, more integrated collaboration prompted a search for a smarter, more scalable solution. ANWB turned to CLEVR to help transition from a fragmented, spreadsheet-heavy workflow to a fully digital, user-friendly platform that could support real-time coordination and future growth.

By using Mendix combined with our deep experience in the retail sector, CLEVR co-created a solution tailored to ANWB's unique promotional workflows, aimed to set them apart in an increasingly competitive market.

The Challenge: Manual Processes, Disconnected Tools

Even though 30%-35% of daily tasks could be automated by 2030, many consumer businesses are still constrained by disconnected spreadsheets and manual workflows. This often leads to delays, communication breakdowns and missed commercial opportunities, which was exactly the case at ANWB Retail.

"Information was everywhere," says Koen Berends, Project Manager at ANWB Retail. "The whole process was managed in separate excel files, and there was a lot of email communication sent back and forth, making it difficult to track progress and maintain version control."

In addition, consistent approvals were hard to ensure, as many decisions were made in meetings or informal conversations, without a central view of responsibilities, deadlines, or outcomes.

All of this, not only created unnecessary manual work but also significantly delayed the launch of new campaigns. To address these inefficiencies, ANWB needed a centralized platform that could simplify approvals, improve transparency, and enable cross-functional teams to collaborate more effectively in real time.

The CLEVR Solution: Tailored. Scalable. Connected.

To avoid embedding this complexity into a new ERP system, ANWB decided to decouple promotion planning entirely and worked closely with CLEVR to map out a tailored solution that aligned with their specific needs.

“At CLEVR, our process starts with a deep-dive assessment alongside the customer and one of our industry experts,” says Angelo van Dasselaar, Team Lead NL Services at CLEVR. “That’s where our real strength lies, combining sector-specific knowledge with cutting-edge technology and a collaborative approach to turn ideas into scalable, real-world solutions.”

Together we built a custom Promotions Manager, that brings together all key stakeholders into one connected platform — from marketing and buying to merchandise planning and studio teams.

The new Promotions Manager solution was designed to support every step of the retail campaign process, including:

• Marketing calendar planning for annual promotional campaigns
• Real-time collaboration between marketing, buying, and planning teams
• Budget alignment checks by merchandise planners
• Approval workflows with locked steps per role (category, planning, marketing)
• Centralized image management and auto-generated briefings for the design studio

The result? A process that's not only faster, but also far more transparent and collaborative, ensuring everyone is working on the latest version to eliminate double work and unnecessary costs.

“What sets this solution apart is that it's built on CLEVR’s Promotions Manager template; a robust foundation shaped by our team’s extensive industry knowledge and experience serving multiple retailers,” adds Angelo.

This template provides a ready-made starting point that can be tailored to meet any specific business requirement, no matter how unique. By leveraging Mendix low code technology, the solution is not only highly customizable, but also fast and easy to implement, significantly accelerating time to market.

“You can tell it’s really made to support this specific process — tailored to retail promotions," continues Koen. "If you go for a more general campaign manager, you don’t get this level of end-to-end support. Everything you need as a retailer is in there. We couldn’t find that anywhere else.”

The Results: A Streamlined Promotions Engine

By combining low code technology with CLEVR’s deep expertise in the retail sector, ANWB Retail was able to unlock measurable improvements across their operations.

• Higher Efficiency: Lead time to launch a promotion was reduced by 20%, enabling the business to respond faster to market needs.
• Improved Focus: With fewer people required to manage operational tasks, teams can now dedicate more time to planning, budgeting, campaign design, and creative decisions.
• Better  Collaboration: Clear role-based approval flows replaced fragmented emails and meetings, ensuring a smoother, more transparent process.
• Controlled Processes: Approval steps are locked by role, so no one can alter promotions once approved. This ensures everyone works on the latest version, eliminating double work, confusion, and unnecessary costs.
• Centralized  Information: All relevant data, assets, and tasks are now housed in a single platform, boosting accountability and visibility.
• Fewer Errors: Automation reduces repetitive manual work and minimizes the risk of inconsistencies.

With greater transparency, structured approvals and centralized data, ANWB Retail has laid the groundwork for a more scalable and controlled future, empowering their Promotions Manager to not only optimize planning and coordination, but to also drive business impact with greater agility and confidence. 

Partnering for Retail Impact and Operational Excellence

From the very start, CLEVR took on the role of more than just an implementation partner. By combining technical expertise with a deep understanding of ANWB’s operational challenges, CLEVR offered structured guidance and best practice insights tailored to the retail industry, challenging existing processes when needed to reduce complexity.

"It was one of the smoothest implementations we've done recently," adds Koen. "CLEVR supported us not just technically, but with a real understanding of the commercial side of things, helping us make smart process decisions, rather than simply customizing for the sake of it."

Thanks to the "first-time-right" nature of low code technology, CLEVR together with ANWB were able to significantly accelerate the development process, meaning fewer bugs, less rework, and faster testing cycles. This allowed ANWB to stay within deadlines and budget, without compromising quality.

Next Steps: Future-Ready Retail Management

This optimization was part of a broader transformation effort within ANWB Retail, aimed at modernizing core retail operations. With promotions now digitized and streamlined, the company has laid the groundwork for future digital growth.

At CLEVR, we don’t just deliver software, we partner for transformation. As ANWB’s needs evolve, our team remains a trusted guide, helping to scale and adapt solutions that truly serve the business.

The future of retail is agile, data-driven, and customer-first.

Let’s build it—together with CLEVR.

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As the demand for sustainable energy storage grows, building efficient, safe and flexible battery production lines is crucial for Europe’s green transition. Nordic Batteries, partnered with CLEVR, Siemens and Kongsberg Innovation to design and implement a digital-first pilot line, and strengthen Norway's role as a leading hub in the global battery value chain.

The result? 

Together, they built a robust PLM backbone that significantly reduces costs and accelerates time-to-market, advancing the green shift and setting a benchmark for sustainable, high-tech manufacturing in Europe.

A Digital-First Battery Pilot Line, Built for Impact

Nordic Batteries is adynamic scale-up with the mission to revolutionize sustainable battery manufacturing. With a strong focus on energy security, environmental responsibility and digital innovation, the company is committed to driving efficiency, enhancing product quality and future-proofing operations within the evolving battery value chain.

As a key industrial partner within Kongsberg Innovation’s BatNet Project, Nordic Batteries plays a central role in its mission to build a full-scale infrastructure for smart, automated battery production and recycling.

“Energy security and sustainability are critical to our vision,” said Jarle Gjøsæther, CEO of Nordic Batteries. “Our goal is to build a complete, ethically sourced and environmentally responsible battery value chain in Norway and across Europe— one that supports the green shift and reduces our reliance on external supply chains.”

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However, battery production is inherently complex, requiring precise coordination between design, simulation, manufacturing and quality assurance. Yet, much of this coordination still relies on manual processes. 

Spreadsheets, disconnected tools and physical prototypes are widely used to validate designs, while production operators lack valuable real-time insights. This often results in slowed innovation and inefficiencies, making it difficult to scale effectively.

Nordic Batteries needed a smarter, faster and more integrated way of working—one that could streamline their processes, support certification efforts and ensure energy-efficient, automated manufacturing.

CLEVR’s Solution: Engineering Operational Excellence

Nordic Batteries had a clear vision from the beginning, but they needed a roadmap to get there. CLEVR stepped in not just as a technical vendor, but as a strategic partner to translate this vision into a tailored system architecture, ensuring the software wasn’t just technically sound, but seamlessly usable in daily operations.

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This solution included:

1. Siemens NX for advanced CAD design, stress analysis and digital validation of complex product geometries

2. Siemens Simcenter STAR-CCM+ for simulating battery behavior, thermal dynamics and safety under real-world charging and discharging

3. Siemens Tecnomatix Plant Simulation (PlantSim) for creating a detailed digital twin of the entire pilot line, enabling bottleneck detection and process optimizatio nbefore physical production begins

4. Siemens Teamcenter as the central PLM backbone — ensuring secure data management, change control and collaboration across design and production teams

“We adapted on the fly," said Eskil Christensen, Advanced PLM Engineer at CLEVR. "When something didn’t work or a requirement shifted, we responded quickly, enabling continuous optimization based on real-world feedback and evolving needs.”

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Nordic Batteries together with CLEVR managed to successfully create a pilot line that is semi-automated, sensor-rich, and digitally traceable from end to end. With an integrated central control interface, operators can now manage the entire line with greater visibility and efficiency, delivering immediate value:

1. Early detection of inspection bottlenecks and quality deviations

2. Iterative process design based on real-world constraints and operator feedback

3. Improved operator planning, resource allocation and collaboration across teams

4. Faster troubleshooting and reduced time-to-market for battery modules

5. Enhanced productivity and minimized downtime by optimizing workflows and eliminating inefficiencies

6. Cost savings by reducing physical prototypes and development cycles, resulting in greater ROI

By leveraging Siemens’ Xcelerator portfolio and CLEVR’s deep implementation expertise, Nordic Batteries bult not only a high-performing production environment, but a strategic foundation for the company's future growth.

“Our ambition is to build a gigascale factory — a ‘plus factory’ that produces more energy than it consumes," continued Jarle. "And CLEVR together with Siemens delivered the cutting-edge solutions needed to make this possible."

A Benchmark for Smart, Sustainable Manufacturing

With CLEVR and Siemens at their side, Nordic Batteries demonstrates how Europe’s next generation of battery producers can embrace a digital-first approach, ensuring efficiency, safety and sustainability from day one.

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“CLEVR’s team didn’t just install software," says Manis Mosa, Control Engineer at Nordic Batteries. "They trained our people, helped us prioritize features within budget, and stayed hands-on when challenges arose. This gave us confidence from simulation to production.”

CLEVR delivered agility and hands-on support, paired with strategic guidance and deep domain expertise. This empowered Nordic Batteries to move quickly, make informed decisions and build technology tailored for everyday use.

These are exactly the qualities manufacturers across industries need to accelerate innovation, scale sustainably and remain competitive in a fast-changing industrial landscape.

The next steps in Nordic Batteries journey include:

• Expanding automation and robotics for full-scale production
• Deepening data analytics and real-time quality assurance
• Scaling the digital twin framework to additional production lines

And CLEVR will remain a trusted partner, ready to support every step of the way. 

Together, we are not only building advanced production systems, but also shaping a more resilient and sustainable manufacturing future.

Let’s Build Tomorrow — Together with CLEVR.

Hanab Telecom Infra (Formerly known as VolkerWessels Telecom) is a cornerstone of the Netherlands’ digital society, tasked with designing, building, managing, and maintaining telecommunications infrastructure across the Netherlands. 
Their work ensures millions of people have reliable internet, can study online, use smart devices, and stay connected in today’s digital world.

At the heart of Hanab Telecom Infra’s operations is the Workflow Infratechniek, a powerful system that coordinates over 60,000 infrastructure projects —from the initial intake of project data to completion and feedback. This application is integral to every stage of all grid projects across the Netherlands, from onboarding and design to planning and delivery.  
 
When a project begins, subcontractors hired by Hanab for a project provide details such as location, timelines, and personnel, which feed directly into Workflow’s system. The application then structures tasks, assigns roles, and checks every step is signed off before users can "advance” to the next phase of a specific project. 
 
The Workflow application integrates with the Netherlands’ Digital Collaboration Platform (DSP), a standardized messaging system maintained by Mijn Aansluiting, to help keep things running smoothly. This platform establishes communication between firms like Hanab, subcontractors, and network operators, so important infrastructure projects like fiber optic installations and underground utility connections can be carried out as efficiently as possible. 
 
However, maintaining and improving such a complex system requires third-party expertise from the digital sphere–which is where CLEVR comes in as a Platinum Partner for Mendix low code. Mendix is a platform that allows applications to be built quickly and flexibly without the need for extensive coding knowledge (hence the term “low code”). CLEVR has over 20 years of experience implementing Mendix solutions across industries, including the manufacturing, energy, utilities, and marine industries, and was tasked with working alongside Hanab to upgrade the Workflow application. 
 
In this collaboration, CLEVR supported Hanab in a crucial upgrade to the DSP, which involved transitioning to more modern REST APIs and implementing advanced security protocols like OAuth 2.0 (which we’ll explain below). These upgrades allow Hanab to maintain the reliable and secure systems the Netherlands depends on.

 
The Challenge

The DSP 2.0 integration posed a set of challenges for Hanab Telecom Infra; at its core was the need to modernize the underlying technology of the Workflow application. Speaking to Hanab’s Citizen Developer, Roeland Drok, CLEVR was an easy choice when it came to creating a partnership; “We tried another supplier for a while and well, there was a difference in collaboration. CLEVR knows what to do; they understand the business, they understand us.”

Modernizing Communication: SOAP to REST APIs 

It’s important to understand that APIs are like digital messengers that allow systems to talk to each other. Modernizing these messengers is like upgrading from a postal service to instant messaging, which is clearly more efficient and easier to manage when it comes to just sending written communications. 

 
One of the critical changes involved transitioning from the outdated SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) to the more modern REST (Representational State Transfer) APIs. While SOAP relies on heavy, XML-based messaging, REST uses the lighter JSON format, making data exchanges faster and more efficient.  
However, this shift was not just about adopting a new standard, it required a restructuring of how information flows between systems. This included remapping processes and ensuring that all parties in the network, from subcontractors to end users, could operate seamlessly under the new system. 

Upgrading the Workflow Application: Mendix 8 to Mendix 10

Another challenge was upgrading the Workflow application, which had been in operation since 2017, to the latest version of the Mendix platform. This upgrade was far from straightforward, especially since it had to be executed without disrupting the management of thousands of ongoing projects. These projects represent a wide array of telecommunications and utility networks, all progressing through multiple phases such as intake, design, and execution.  
 
“We upgraded from Mendix version 8 to version 10. I couldn’t do that myself—no one within Hanab could do that.” 
 
Roeland Drok, Citizen Developer at Hanab Telecom Infra

Securing the System: OAuth 2.0

Security was another key point within the project. The existing system used certificate-based authentication, a method that had become outdated and less effective against modern cybersecurity threats. The transition to OAuth 2.0, a widely accepted security protocol, introduced a new level of protection for Hanab’s sensitive project information. However, implementing OAuth 2.0 was no small feat—it involved configuring secure access tokens, integrating identity verification systems, and making sure every user and system could authenticate seamlessly under the new framework.

Collaboration Across Teams

Along with the technical challenges, the DSP 2.0 integration required collaboration between Hanab’s internal teams, subcontractors, and CLEVR. This meant aligning priorities, coordinating schedules, and ensuring that all parties had the tools and knowledge needed to transition smoothly. Such a large-scale collaboration increased the complexity of the project, making it essential to have an experienced partner.

CLEVR’s Solution

“CLEVR has helped us since the beginning–they built it from scratch, and we don’t have to worry when CLEVR’s on the project. They know what to do.” 

Roeland Drok, Citizen Developer at Hanab Telecom Infra

CLEVR helped the team at Hanab carry out the DSP 2.0 integration by using its vast Mendix expertise and management experience to keep the project on track and successful despite its complexity.

Transitioning to REST APIs

One of CLEVR’s key contributions was modernizing the data exchange system by transitioning from SOAP to REST APIs. This shift involved significant technical changes, including converting message formats from XML to JSON and redesigning how systems communicated. CLEVR’s team not only executed these changes but also made sure there was a seamless integration between the Workflow application and external systems like the Digital Collaboration Platform (DSP).

 
Implementing OAuth 2.0 for Enhanced Security

As you’d expect from a nationwide digital project, security was the priority, and CLEVR led the charge by implementing OAuth 2.0, a modern authentication protocol designed to secure sensitive data. This involved creating secure access tokens and integrating identity verification processes to replace the outdated certificate-based authentication. CLEVR’s ability to adapt to these new requirements ensured Hanab’s systems met the latest security standards without disrupting operations. 
 
“OAuth 2.0 was completely new for me… CLEVR took care of it for us, connecting with the right people and making it work.” 
 
Roeland Drok, Citizen Developer at Hanab Telecom Infra

Upgrading to Mendix 10

The upgrade of Hanab’s Workflow application from Mendix version 8 to version 10 was a critical component of the project. This task demanded extensive knowledge of Mendix and the Workflow application itself, as the system handles over 60,000 projects across multiple stages of development. CLEVR’s team meticulously planned the upgrade to make sure that all existing features and integrations functioned as intended while introducing the new capabilities of Mendix 10.

Flexibility and Last-Minute Adaptation

CLEVR’s flexibility and responsiveness were critical in overcoming challenges and quick changes in direction. When Hanab needed new integrations at the last minute to align with a broader ERP migration, CLEVR quickly adjusted its plans and delivered the required updates on time. "It was really last-minute, but CLEVR helped us with their planning and willingness to move forward. They made sure the new integrations were completed,” said Drok. 

Seamless Collaboration

CLEVR’s approach centered on an ability to collaborate seamlessly with both Hanab and its subcontractors. This extended beyond technical expertise; CLEVR’s familiarity with Hanab’s systems and processes meant they could anticipate needs and deliver solutions with minimal oversight. This not only saved time but also reduced the risk of errors, a critical factor given the project’s complexity. According to Drok, “Working with CLEVR proved to be a lot smoother [than with other suppliers].”

Impact and Future Outlook: Stronger Together

The DSP 2.0 integration has already delivered significant improvements to Hanab’s operations. By upgrading to modern REST APIs and implementing advanced security protocols like OAuth 2.0, CLEVR has enabled Hanab to streamline communication with subcontractors and improve the overall efficiency of their projects. This enhanced collaboration ensures that Hanab can deliver critical infrastructure projects, such as fiber optic installations, faster and with greater precision. 
 
For Hanab, this isn’t just about technology—it’s about maintaining their role as a cornerstone of the Netherlands’ digital infrastructure. The Workflow Infratechniek, now upgraded to Mendix version 10, is better equipped to handle the evolving needs of over 60,000 active projects, ensuring that Dutch citizens and businesses continue to enjoy reliable, high-speed connectivity. 

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