With more than 50 years of experience, Nicotra Gebhardt GmbH is one of the leading manufacturers of fans. The company is part of the globally operating Regal Rexnord Corporation, a leading manufacturer of electric motors, electronic controls, and power transmission systems. Under the Nicotra Gebhardt brand, the group develops, produces, and distributes fans for air conditioning and room air applications, cleanroom filtration, smoke extraction, and industrial process air. Through innovative technologies and energy-efficient system solutions, the company has earned an international reputation.
CUSTOMER : Nicotra Gebhardt GmbH
INDUSTRY: Ventilation, air conditioning, and industrial process air technology
PROJECT: Pro Selecta III – Configurator, CPQ, Orchestrator, Doc Server
SOLUTION: Web-based CPQ platform based on 3PQ®
TECHNOLOGIES: TypeScript, React, C#
As a manufacturer of radial and axial fans, Nicotra Gebhardt relied for many years on a custom-developed desktop application to perform complex technical calculations for fan selection. The software, originally developed in 2002 in collaboration with Plan Software (now 4PACE), served as the central foundation for quotation and sales processes and was deeply integrated into day-to-day operations.
However, with increasing connectivity, a growing range of functions, and rising demands for user-friendliness, the local desktop application began to reach its limits — and so the next stage of development emerged.
The objective? A decisive step toward digitalization and future readiness. The path to achieving this: a modern, browser-based solution that facilitates collaboration across multiple locations as well as with customers and partners, meets modern UX/UI standards, and at the same time preserves the proven technical depth of the existing system.
In the Pro Selecta III project, a powerful, web-based CPQ solution was developed based on 3PQ®.. This solution combines configuration, calculation, quotation management, document generation, and rights management into a platform-independent system that can be accessed via all common web browsers.
The proven calculation methods — for example, for airflow performance, pressure loss, characteristic curves, and efficiency — were carefully migrated, extensively validated, and, in some cases, reimplemented to ensure maximum performance and scalability in the web environment. A key priority during this process was to ensure that all calculation algorithms produce results identical to those of the previous desktop version after migration.
By introducing the new web application, the customer journey could be reimagined entirely and consistently optimized. Starting with the selection of suitable fan types, through the systematic consideration of fan, drive, and inverter, and continuing to the definition of an exact operating point with all relevant performance characteristics, the process now flows seamlessly to the quotation request (see graphic below).
Through an integrated dashboard, all configurations can be centrally managed. Status overviews for quotations and orders, along with filter and export functions, support the quotation creation process. User management is based on Keycloak, enabling fine-grained role and permission control that can be individually tailored to the specific sales structure.
The user interfaces were modernized entirely, and core workflows were significantly standardized. A particular added value is provided by the new, clearly structured filtering options, which enable simplified yet highly targeted navigation to the relevant series and sizes. Another highlight is the consolidation of the entry points for both selection mode and catalog mode.
Accessibility was a key focus: the color scheme and contrasts of the new UI were specifically adapted to meet the needs of users with red-green color vision deficiency. In addition, the responsive design ensures an optimal user experience on both desktop and tablet, for example, during field operations.
Even non-specialist users benefit from a clear structure, helpful suggestions, and a significantly reduced level of complexity. This relieves sales teams and simplifies onboarding processes.
Through this joint project, the long-established desktop solution was successfully transformed into a future-ready web application without any loss of quality but with significant benefits:
A particular highlight is the long-standing, collaborative partnership with 4PACE. Thanks to their deep understanding of the existing system, continuous development over many years, and a shared forward-looking vision, the new solution could be introduced seamlessly and further enhanced in the process.
