Business Case · B2B E-commerce
Succeeding in B2B digitalization with Melis Platform
How Kulker — a 60-year-old distributor of agricultural irrigation equipment — launched its first B2B e-commerce platform for resellers, despite a complex legacy ERP.
1 million d'euros de commandes via le site dès la première année. Des solutions alternatives efficaces. On n'a jamais entendu « non ».
Year one, in numbers
A successful launch with tangible results
The company
A longstanding distributor at a strategic turning point
Founded in 1964, Kulker is a leading independent distributor of agricultural irrigation equipment in France. With annual revenues of €15 million, the company stands out from competitors — most of whom are manufacturers — through strong logistics expertise and a customer-first approach.
In 2022, Kulker decided to take a major step: launching its first B2B e-commerce platform for resellers. A strategic move to engage a new generation of tech-savvy farmers and reduce pressure on its sales administration team.
Our core business is logistics. But our clients are evolving — especially the younger ones who prefer to order online rather than pick up the phone. We had to keep up with that transformation.
At a glanceThe technical challenge
Connecting a complex legacy IT system to a modern platform
The biggest hurdle? Making an aging, non-API ERP system work seamlessly with a modern e-commerce solution. Kulker's technical legacy introduced several key constraints:
- Thousands of customer/product price combinations that needed to be simplified
- An overly broad product segmentation that had to be restructured
- Customer profiles that required complete reorganization
We had to rethink our pricing strategy, product segmentation and customer records. It was a massive effort — but essential for making e-commerce usable and fluid.
Melis tackled these constraints by adapting its back office through custom developments, all while maintaining platform stability and robustness.
The platform
See the B2B storefront Kulker built with Melis
A professional buying experience — account-gated pricing, a deep technical catalogue and a clear path from discovery to order — on kulker.fr.
kulker.fr — the reseller storefront, powered by MelisCommerce.
A deep catalogue, restructured for clarity
An overly broad product range was re-segmented and made filterable by diameter, flow, spacing and length — so professional buyers reach the exact reference they need, with linked accessories surfaced alongside.
Reseller accounts with tailored pricing
Prices are gated behind a professional login: each reseller sees their own negotiated rates, drawn from thousands of customer/product combinations simplified during the project. New accounts are vetted before activation.
Tangible results
What changed within the first year
- ~€1 million in orders placed via the site (roughly 7% of total revenue)
- 10% of clients switched to 100% online ordering
- Average cart value steadily increasing
- New product lines grew thanks to their increased visibility on the site
Some customers told us, "I didn't even know you offered that!" Thanks to the site, we sold items that previously never moved.
The initial goal — lightening the load on the ADV (sales admin) teams — is beginning to pay off, even though human contact remains essential for many clients.
The Melis advantage
Adaptability, and a partnership that keeps growing
Support & adaptability
Coordinated with an external e-commerce lead and ERP integrator Calliope, the project kept tight timelines and stayed flexible.
- Fast response times
- Flexible evolution of the platform
- Strong system stability
Melis always found a way — even when our ERP imposed limitations. We never heard 'no,' only: 'Here's how we can approach it differently.'
What's next
New projects with Melis are already underway, and the long-term vision is shared:
- Duplicating the platform for an omnichannel strategy
- Intelligent chatbots to further ease pressure on sales teams
- AI use cases in connected agriculture
- A push toward Green IT and digital sustainability
Summary
What Melis enabled at Kulker
An industrial SME executing a B2B digital transformation — even with a complex IT infrastructure.
| Objective | Result |
|---|---|
| Digitalize B2B order management | +€1M via the platform in 1 year |
| Reduce pressure on ADV teams | 10% of clients now order 100% online |
| Increase average order value | New SKUs sold thanks to site visibility |
| Align platform with legacy IT | ERP integration successfully completed |
| Build a scalable digital ecosystem | Omnichannel projects already underway |
In summary
A realistic, effective and scalable digital project
The Kulker case shows how an industrial SME can succeed at B2B digital transformation. With Melis Platform, Kulker achieved:
- Smooth integration despite ERP constraints
- Clear improvements in customer relationship management
- Fast digital skill-building across the team
- A platform designed to evolve alongside the business
Digitalizing a B2B business?
From legacy ERP to a modern reseller storefront — discover how Melis can help you launch, integrate and scale, without ever hearing "no."