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I design the data integration architecture that brings cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP) and on‑prem systems together on one secure platform — the complete, trustworthy foundation that people, analytics, and AI agents all need before they can act on the full picture instead of a partial one. I bring the same end‑to‑end thinking to supply chain planning. Based in Umbria, Italy. Working with manufacturing groups worldwide.
I’m Philip De Rop. I spent years as a product manager and test manager for a supply chain software company before going independent as Catena‑Tec. I still help that company manage product development and testing, and I take on engagements directly with manufacturers who need help getting the right things to the right place at the right time.
A large part of my work now is data integration architecture: connecting a company’s systems — cloud platforms like AWS, Azure and GCP, and whatever still runs on‑prem — into one secure, unified platform, using Fivetran, dbt core, PostgreSQL, SQL Server and Databricks. Done properly, that’s what lets a business see itself end to end, and it’s the same complete, trustworthy foundation that AI‑based analytics and agents need before they can give a full answer instead of one based on half the data.
Alongside that, I still do the planning work: demand planning, supply planning, inventory management, rough‑cut capacity planning and scheduling. And I build software — as a C# developer, software test manager, and product development manager.
Most of my clients are project managers with a lot on their plate, so I keep meetings short and stay engaged for the long run. The majority of my work comes from clients I’ve stayed with for years, and from the people they bring in when they move on to bigger roles.
Catena is Italian for chain. These days that chain is as much about data as it is about physical goods — a company can’t plan, analyze, or automate what its systems can’t see. Most engagements start with the data and pull in the other two.
Cloud platforms — AWS, Azure, GCP — and on‑prem systems, including ERPs like SAP, wherever the data actually lives.
Bidirectional pipelines built on a reusable dbt core standard, plus direct tooling — including RFC and BAPI connections into SAP.
One platform — any database, warehouse, data lake or lakehouse — holding the complete picture.
Company‑wide insight, ready for BI, analytics, and AI agents that need the full context.
Forecast what customers will need, by product, location and period.
Build a network‑wide plan to meet that demand across plants and suppliers.
Stress‑test the plan against real capacity before it’s committed.
Set the right stock levels for raw materials and finished goods.
Turn the plan into a detailed, executable production schedule.
C# application development — building the tools that run the plan, not just specifying them.
Leading QA for software delivery, from test strategy through release sign‑off.
Owning a roadmap from idea through release, working directly with development teams.
Mostly large manufacturers with plants in more than one country — if it’s made somewhere and needs to end up somewhere else, the planning problem is familiar.
A few examples of the kind of work I do — not a client list, since most of what I do runs quietly in the background of someone else’s operation.
Building a bidirectional integration layer that connects ERPs — including SAP — as sources, and any database, warehouse, data lake or lakehouse as a destination. Includes a tool that pulls data from any database and pushes it into SAP over RFCs or standard BAPIs, plus a reusable dbt core standard for major ERP systems, extended with client‑specific customizations.
Helped a manufacturer manage storage and inventory across a network of tanks.
Optimized the use of railcars for moving crude and refined oil products between sites.
Helped chemical manufacturers plan production and distribution for polyolefins, polypropylene, resins and specialty polymers across several plants.
Applied the same approach to hotel software, audio‑visual rental systems, and healthcare staff‑planning platforms.
I’m building out a small library of notes on supply chain planning and software delivery. Nothing published yet — here’s what’s coming.
Have a topic you’d like covered? Get in touch.
Most engagements start with a short conversation about where the planning is breaking down. No sales deck required.
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