Getting more from data.
Cohelion builds an innovative data management & integration platform on Adobe ColdFusion.
Builds data solutions in a fraction of the time
Products:
Objectives
Make an enterprise-level data platform manageable for business users
Keep up with growing demand to support new customers and new features
Results
User-friendly data platform allows non-IT staff to be in control of data within a large organization
Builds complex data solutions in a fraction of the time
Accelerates development with high reusability and simple Python calls
Roeland Krom founded Cohelion in 2002 with a simple vision to help companies get more from their data. During the early years, the company specialized in connecting customers’ databases to the internet through complex web applications. But today, the company focuses on its own data management and integration platform: Cohelion Data Platform.
Cohelion Data Platform is a modular, all-in-one platform that includes tools for meta- and master data management, data integration, data warehousing, and even forecasting and budgeting. Using Cohelion Data Platform, business users can quickly bring together multiple data siloes and get more insight into their operations, customers, and logistics. This innovative approach to data integration is one reason why Cohelion was recently recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in the Netherlands.
“One thing that sets Cohelion Data Platform apart is that we built it from the ground up to serve people in business, finance, sales, or human resources,” says Krom. “Other data solutions are mostly designed from an IT perspective, while business users within companies ultimately have to work with the data and insights. That is why we created an easy-to-use data platform that users can maintain without any coding. We don’t require a lot of involvement from IT teams.”
Throughout the company’s history, Adobe ColdFusion has been the development platform of choice at Cohelion for its combination of high usability with rapid application development.
“Over the years we built our entire development framework around Adobe ColdFusion,” says Krom. “Working with Adobe ColdFusion makes development fast and simple so that we can concentrate on building new features that make the Cohelion Data Platform successful for our enterprise clients.”
Developing a winning brand with Adobe ColdFusion
Krom first started working with ColdFusion two decades ago due to its ease of use. He didn’t have a strong development or technical background, but the simple ColdFusion scripting language and built-in services made it easy for him to start developing web apps. As Cohelion grew and hired more experienced developers, the company was able to do even more with the ColdFusion platform.
“Our developers quickly learned to build up a library of tools and flexible services,” says Krom. “We can build complex data solutions and applications in a fraction of the time with Adobe ColdFusion compared to other platforms.”
ColdFusion accelerates development even faster through its integrations that allow Cohelion developers to incorporate Python, Java, or any other type of script into the code, encouraging even greater code reuse and productivity that accelerates development. With the release of Adobe ColdFusion 2021, Cohelion plans to take advantage of the cloud-native environment to enhance its Software-as-a-Service offering with faster deployment for new customers, enhanced business intelligence, and a CI/CD pipeline for better customer experiences.
“We can build complex data solutions and applications in a fraction of the time with Adobe ColdFusion compared to other platforms.”
Roeland Krom
Founder, Cohelion
Manage global operations with a single source of truth
One customer that has worked with Cohelion for over 16 years is Swissport, a global leader in aviation services. Swissport first contacted Cohelion in 2004 when the company decided to create a new user-friendly, dynamic website. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) was using a website powered by ColdFusion, and Swissport decided that it wanted the same.
Cohelion supported Swissport over the years as it grew from a small organization to a global enterprise active in more than 300 airports through 14 lines of business. The company wanted to better understand business needs across the company to take advantage of economies of scale and improve efficiencies at all levels of the business. But to do that, Swissport needed a single source of truth for all its siloed data.
Using the Cohelion Data Platform, Swissport consolidates data from more than 50 applications into a single platform. The intuitive mapping functionality and automated data-quality checks standardize data to provide a holistic view into the business. Built-in approval workflows invite stakeholders such as station managers or COOs for each country to view and approve data, adding another level of quality assurance. By giving Swissport managers one place to view operational, financial, and safety data, they can make more effective decisions that improve customer satisfaction.
“I get compliments from colleagues and airport managers that the interface of the Cohelion Data Platform is intuitive, clean, and helps prevent mistakes,” says Philipp Müller, Head of Global Performances & Analytics at Swissport. “It’s not technical at all and that results in quick adoption throughout the whole organization.”
The benefits of Cohelion Data Platform became even clearer during the COVID-19 pandemic. The global pandemic had an enormous impact on the aviation industry, and Swissport needed to be ready to make drastic changes quickly. The Cohelion Data Platform helped Swissport analyze scenarios and prepare for any possible outcome to overcome the pandemic as effectively as possible.
Cohelion Data Platform continues to gain interest from businesses around the world. With Adobe ColdFusion, Cohelion has the speed and confidence that it needs to capture new business and put the power of data in the hands of more customers.