1C Is Shaping a New ERP Reality
Russian industry is rapidly shifting to domestic ERP systems as the company 1C builds a full-scale ecosystem designed to replace foreign software and strengthen national technological sovereignty
An Ecosystem Instead of Software
Russia’s largest IT vendor, 1C, is adapting its strategy to new economic conditions shaped by reduced investment activity, high interest rates, and businesses’ cautious approach to capital expenditures. Instead of selling standalone products, the company now promotes an ecosystem model built around the 1C:Enterprise platform. This ecosystem includes ERP systems, industry-specific modules, support services, and AI tools, offering customers not just software but a full turnkey digital transformation solution.
A core element of the ecosystem is 1C:ERP, which recently passed a large-scale stress test supporting 30,000 simultaneous users on fully Russian infrastructure. This confirms its readiness to serve the country’s largest enterprises across manufacturing, energy, and logistics. Deep platform optimization ensures compliance with demanding requirements for reliability, scalability, and functionality.
Investing in the Future
Despite rapid adoption, 1C faces a serious workforce challenge: a shortage of qualified specialists, particularly 1C developers and accountants capable of implementing complex ERP projects. This issue slows the scaling of solutions, especially for large enterprises.
To address this, 1C is heavily investing in education. The company supports programs for high-school and university students, hosts competitions, and signs partnerships with major corporations. For example, joint educational initiatives with Gazprom Neft aim to prepare experts for Russia’s digital transformation. This long-term strategy is intended to close the talent gap and ensure stable growth of the domestic ERP ecosystem.
Platform Evolution Through AI and Data
Technologically, the company continues to advance. Announced updates include the release of the final version of 1C:Enterprise 8.5, a corporate data warehouse, an updated interface with a dark mode option, and an AI assistant for developers. These additions increase the platform’s productivity and attractiveness for new users.
ERP the Russian Way—Without Compromises
These efforts extend far beyond a single company. In Russia’s IT sector, 1C has become the driving force of ERP import substitution. Several major migration cases prove the trend.
Between 2023 and 2024, Yazaki Volga—the Russian branch of the global automotive supplier—fully migrated from a foreign ERP system to 1C:ERP in just five months. The project required data migration, functional adaptation, and personnel training, confirming the viability of 1C even for international manufacturing operations.
After Viessmann exited the Russian market, its divisions Viessmann and Viessmann-Lipetsk transferred their ERP systems to 1C within three months, preserving all sales and production processes—a demonstration of the platform’s capabilities for diversified holdings.
Chemical industry leader KuibyshevAzot switched to 1C in seven months without stopping continuous production, proving the platform’s reliability under the most demanding industrial conditions.
Notably, media holding NTV completed its transition from Oracle to 1C:ERP Enterprise Management in 2024. The project—launched in 2022—included deep process reengineering, new control procedures, and operational optimization. The result was a 30 percent increase in efficiency, showing that import substitution now extends even into dynamic, non‑traditional ERP industries.
A Growing ERP Market
Russia’s ERP market continues to expand, reflecting rising demand for domestic solutions. For example, in 2023 the ERP division of KORUS Consulting—a major integrator for government and business—generated nearly approximately $19m. The department specializing in 1C-based solutions contributed more than about $12m, growing over 60 percent and surpassing 1 billion rubles. These results confirm that the shift toward Russian ERP systems has become a widespread, systemic trend across industries and business sizes.
Market Maturity and the Road to Sovereignty
Despite existing challenges, the Russian ERP market shows clear signs of maturity. In the short term, growth will be strongest in large industries such as energy, extraction, and logistics. In the long term—assuming successful implementation of the 2025–2027 roadmap—1C could become the national standard for corporate automation, strengthening Russia’s technological sovereignty and reducing dependency on foreign software.
