Racing Toward Success with NetSuite: How Cirrus ERP Helped Velocity Rail Solutions Go Live in Just 10 Weeks
When Velocity Rail Solutions, Inc. (“Velocity”) was acquired by a private equity firm, the company faced an ambitious challenge: fully transition off SAP—as well as the shared services provided by their former owner—and implement NetSuite in just 10 weeks. With limited internal resources and multiple critical integrations, the stakes were high. Success meant not only meeting a fast-approaching deadline—but also laying the groundwork for operational maturity and scalable growth under new ownership.
“With the carve-out of Velocity from its previous owner, the leadership team needed to quickly set up the infrastructure to support the Company as a stand-alone entity—and a big part of this was implementing its own ERP,” said Bob Pagorek, Chief Financial Officer at Velocity.
About Velocity Rail Solutions
Velocity is a U.S.-based railroad servicing company supporting over 75 operating locations in 28 states with approximately 460 employees. Following the acquisition by private equity, the Company needed to modernize its systems to operate independently, meet investor expectations, and enable future growth. As part of its new ERP ecosystem, Velocity selected a robust technology stack including NetSuite as the core platform, alongside NetAsset, NetLease, NetClose (NetSuite SuiteApps), Ramp for spend management, and Chase Bank as a key integration partner.
The Challenge: A Tight Deadline with High Stakes
With just 10 weeks to exit SAP and launch NetSuite, Velocity had no room for missteps. The standard ERP implementation timeline is typically 4–6 months, but this project demanded speed and precision. Lean internal staffing, complex integration requirements, and high expectations from new investors added further urgency. A delayed or incomplete go-live could have disrupted financial visibility, hindered daily operations, and jeopardized strategic plans.
After selecting NetSuite, Velocity evaluated several firms for implementation support. To meet the aggressive timeline, Velocity partnered with Cirrus ERP—known for combining proven NetSuite expertise with an agile, business-aligned approach.
According to Bob Pagorek, “Velocity ultimately chose Cirrus ERP based on their experience helping similar companies with NetSuite implementations, their proposed approach to meet our tight timeline, and their desire to understand our business as well as our unique needs as a ‘new company.’”
The Solution: Strategic Execution with Cirrus ERP
The Cirrus team took a highly structured but flexible approach to accelerate delivery while maintaining implementation integrity.
Velocity and Cirrus ERP worked in close partnership from day one, combining internal business knowledge with deep NetSuite expertise to move quickly and effectively. The Cirrus team brought a highly structured yet flexible approach, while Velocity remained actively engaged throughout—ensuring decisions were grounded in real business needs.
The project was broken down into focused sprints, enabling rapid execution with built-in quality checks at every step. Frequent touchpoints between both teams fostered open communication, quick problem-solving, and strong alignment. This collaborative dynamic became a key driver of success, allowing Cirrus and Velocity to adapt quickly, maintain momentum, and stay laser-focused on the go-live target.
“It was evident early in the project that our team was working with NetSuite experts who were willing to listen,” noted Pagorek. “That was critical to building a true implementation partnership.”
The Result: A Seamless Go-Live, On Time and On Budget
Thanks to this collaborative, execution-focused approach, Velocity went live on NetSuite by the original deadline—with no operational downtime and all key integrations in place. The transition from SAP was completed seamlessly, and the Company emerged from the project with a modern, scalable ERP system that supports real-time visibility, better decision-making, and tighter financial controls.
“The partnership between Cirrus ERP and Velocity allowed the teams to work through challenges somewhat informally, which greatly contributed to the rapid and successful implementation,” Pagorek added.
The Outcome: Positioned for Scalable Growth
With NetSuite and its supporting tech stack now fully integrated, Velocity has a strong digital foundation to support its next chapter. From streamlined processes to more transparent financial reporting, the Company is better equipped to meet the demands of private equity ownership and scale confidently in a fast-moving industry.
The Cirrus ERP Team
The project was led by Kevin O’Brien, who served as Executive Sponsor, ensuring strategic alignment and executive oversight throughout the engagement. Jeanette Harkin provided program-level structure and visibility through the PMO Office, while Justin Gould managed the day-to-day execution as Project Manager. Rebeca Aviles brought deep platform knowledge and hands-on expertise as Lead Consultant, and Cameron Russo supported the functional implementation with a focus on system configuration and user enablement. Together, the Cirrus team delivered a seamless, high-impact go-live experience.
Final Thought
In high-stakes environments, speed and precision don’t have to be mutually exclusive. For Velocity, the key to success was having the right partner—one that could move fast, think strategically, and deliver with confidence.
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