How 3i Built a More Connected Foundation for Growth

3i designs and manufactures high-end fluorescence microscopes for scientific researchers around the world. But behind that mission is a business with significant operational complexity.

Every sale is unique. The company works in a design-to-order model, building custom solutions for each customer rather than running the same transaction repeatedly. As the business grew, that complexity put more pressure on the systems supporting sales, finance, manufacturing, and internal coordination.

3i wasn’t just looking to replace software. It needed a stronger operational foundation that could connect key parts of the business and better support growth over time.

For 3i, choosing the right implementation partner mattered as much as choosing the platform itself.

From the beginning, Ladd brought structure, communication, and technical confidence to a project that was never going to be simple. Sergei described the relationship as strong from the start, with no early point where the team felt like Ladd did not understand the business or the complexity behind it.

“It was apparent pretty quickly that Ladd had the capability to pull it off.”
— Sergei Sorkin, 3i

That confidence mattered because 3i’s business was too complex for a one-size-fits-all approach. They needed a partner who could adapt the system to the business, not force the business to adapt to the system.

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The Implementation

The challenge was not just technical. It was organizational.

3i was introducing a new system to users who had never worked in Salesforce or Certinia before, while also managing years of established processes and custom business logic. The transition required careful training, clear support, and a team that could stay close when questions surfaced in real time.

According to Sergei, Ladd helped make that transition manageable by investing heavily in training before go-live and staying highly available once the system was live. When users got stuck, the team was there to help them move forward.

“It helped that the trainers were the people who had been there the whole way.”
— Sergei Sorkin, 3i

One of the biggest differentiators was continuity. The same people who helped shape the solution were also involved in training and support, which made it easier to carry context through every phase of the project.

The Impact

With Salesforce and Certinia in place, 3i gained a more connected foundation across sales, finance, manufacturing, and support.

That connectivity became increasingly valuable as the business continued to grow and adapt. Over time, it gave 3i a stronger base for handling complexity, supporting custom processes, and navigating disruption without losing visibility across the business.

The long-term relationship with Ladd also helped preserve continuity as the system evolved. Instead of re-explaining the environment every time a new need came up, 3i could keep building with a partner that already understood the business, the customizations, and the reasoning behind past decisions.

“It’s a cost savings. You’re not spending time turning the wheels because the people already know what custom development is in the system.”
— Sergei Sorkin, 3i

What started as an implementation became something more valuable over time: a long-term partnership built on context, continuity, and trust. For 3i, that has meant less friction, better support, and a stronger foundation for whatever comes next.