Abstract
Louwman Group, a mobility and automotive organization, operating across three divisions and more than 10 data sources, the organization now runs integrated statutory and managerial consolidation on a single platform. With faster closes, consistent data, and scalable, division-specific models, Louwman established a single source of truth that supports agility, collaboration, and long-term self-sufficiency.
Why This Story Matters
As organizations scale, finance teams are under increasing pressure to deliver faster insights while maintaining control, auditability, and consistency. Louwman Group’s journey demonstrates how a flexible, unified, and business-owned platform can replace manual, error-prone reporting with integrated consolidation—without sacrificing autonomy or scalability.
Key benefits:
- Single source of truth across 3 divisions and 10+ data sources
- Consolidation runtime reduced to a few minutes
- Group results available within minutes during close
- 200+ reporting units consolidated across statutory and managerial views
- Weekly cash flow forecasting enabling near real-time treasury visibility
- Improved collaboration and continuity via standardized workflows
The Company
Louwman Group, founded in 1923, is a Dutch family-owned mobility organization and one of Europe’s largest automobile distributors. With imports of brands like Toyota, Lexus, Morgan and Suzuki, it operates across the Netherlands, Belgium and the Czech Republic. Beyond car sales, Louwman offers leasing, financing, logistics, and retail solutions — all rooted in its enduring commitment to customer service, innovation and mobility for life.
The Challenge: Unifying Consolidation across 3 Divisions and 10+ Data Sources
Louwman faced growing financial and operational challenges in its consolidation and reporting processes. With three divisions and more than 10 data sources. At the same time, meeting regulatory and compliance requirements for financial reporting standards demanded a more robust, auditable system. As the organization continued to evolve, Louwman required a scalable solution capable of supporting future business expansions and evolving reporting needs without further increasing operational complexity.
With Board, Louwman set out to unify consolidation and reporting on a single platform, improving collaboration and establishing a true single source of truth across the organization.
The Solution: A Flexible, Business-Owned Platform for Unified Consolidation
Following a structured vendor evaluation, Louwman selected Board over alternative consolidation solutions.
Key selection criteria included:
- Finance-owned configuration and development without reliance on IT
- Enterprise-scale consolidation handling complex group structures
- A single platform enabling internal expertise and long-term self-sufficiency
Board supports Louwman with a fully integrated and automated financial consolidation platform, including capabilities for treasury and tax reporting. The platform runs both statutory and managerial consolidation on the same dataset, ensuring full consistency between audit-ready reporting, bank reporting, and internal performance management.
During the early phases of the implementation, Louwman worked with Board partner to support the initial setup of consolidation use cases. As internal expertise grew, the organization deliberately shifted toward a self-sufficient operating model, with partners providing targeted support and guidance when needed. This approach ensured a strong foundation while enabling Louwman to retain long-term ownership and control over its Board platform.
One Platform, Multiple Use Cases Across the Group
- Scalability and Agility through Internal Expertise
The internal Board knowledge of the finance team enables rapid delivery of new use cases. A planning module covering multiple companies was developed in just three months, demonstrating how in-house expertise accelerates rollout.
- Efficiency in Large-Scale Reporting
At the Retail division, managing reporting for 70 dealer locations is now fully automated. All reports can be generated with a single action, eliminating repetitive manual work and freeing capacity for higher-value analysis.
- Enhanced Treasury and Tax Management
Specialized modules support both treasury and tax processes. Weekly direct cash flow forecasting provides timely visibility into group financing needs, while integrated HR and financial data streamlines WKR (Work-related Costs Scheme) tracking and tax reporting, improving accuracy and compliance.
Turning Unified Consolidation and Reporting into Measurable Business Impact
By unifying management consolidation and reporting on a single platform, Louwman moved beyond process efficiency to measurable business impact. Finance teams now operate with consistent data, faster cycles, and greater confidence, while maintaining the flexibility required across diverse divisions and business models.
Data Integration & Consistency
By running statutory reporting and management consolidation on a single Board platform, Louwman established a consistent, group-wide source of truth across three divisions. Finance teams now work with aligned data, reducing reconciliation effort and eliminating inconsistencies between local, group, and external reporting.
Financial Consolidation
Board enables Louwman to run both statutory and managerial consolidation on the same dataset, ensuring that management reports, audit packs, and bank reporting are always aligned. With over 200 reporting units, cross-ownership structures, and multiple currencies, consolidation results can now be produced in minutes during close, significantly accelerating decision-making and reducing reconciliation effort.
- Consolidation runtime reduced to a few minutes
- Consolidated group results available within 5 minutes during close
Ronald Bruijniks
Today, we can deliver group results in minutes, with confidence that statutory and management views are fully aligned.
Looking Ahead: Scaling Unified Consolidation and Reporting
With unified consolidation firmly in place, Louwman Group is now focused on scaling insight. Board provides the foundation to continuously align performance and reporting as the organization grows—ensuring finance remains a strategic driver of speed, control, and confidence across the group.
