In the world of manufacturing, where precision and efficiency reign supreme, businesses face a relentless challenge: managing complex product data across multifaceted teams, departments, and locations. This increases with every product, variable, and attribute, and threatens to overwhelm even the most seasoned industry players.
Enter product information management (PIM) software, a game-changer that transforms this intricate puzzle into a seamless process. By consolidating all product information into a single platform, teams gain effortless access, update, and management capabilities. Errors dwindle, decision-making accelerates, and your manufacturing prowess takes a giant leap forward.
Read on to learn about how three companies from the manufacturing industry leveraged Pimcore to resolve their pressing issues.
1. Centralized data management
One of the key challenges in manufacturing is managing complex product data across various teams, departments, and locations. The challenge of keeping all the info in check increases exponentially with every product, variable, and attribute.
PIM systems such as Pimcore address this challenge by offering a centralized repository for product data. Here’s how it works:
- It consolidates product information into a single, unified platform where teams can access, update, and manage data effortlessly.
- Implementing a modern PIM solution makes it possible to create a single source of truth for product specifications, images, documentation, and other relevant data.
- This eliminates data silos and ensures that all stakeholders access up-to-date and consistent information.
- In turn, it also helps to reduce errors and facilitate decision-making.
Success story: Goetze KG
Goetze KG is a family business with a rich tradition. The company is known worldwide as a manufacturer of safety valves and fittings with an enormous portfolio of specialized products.
Challenge: managing and displaying a huge product catalog
Displaying a portfolio of 155,000 products on a website in an effective way seems like an almost impossible task. With a catalog this large, it feels like you’ll end up overwhelming users no matter what way you approach the project. On top of that, keeping all the information accurate and up-to-date sounds like a nightmare of its own.
Solution
In the first stage of the project, Goetze took advantage of Pimcore’s importing capabilities to seamlessly transfer the huge database to the newly implemented PIM solution. Then, they set up an elaborate network of categories, filters, and attributes to make sure that the portfolio is intuitive to navigate through by users and Goetze’s staff alike. The information contained in the PIM system is fed to a centralized website designed to support four different business divisions at once.
2. Efficient digital asset management
Within the manufacturing sector, the significance of top-notch visuals and documentation can’t be overstated. They’re crucial when it comes to conveying precise product features and instructions.
Pimcore's digital asset management (DAM) functionalities empower manufacturers to efficiently manage, categorize, and distribute their digital assets. Be it CAD drawings, product imagery, or instructional videos, a DAM system ensures quick and easy access to the appropriate assets for design teams, marketing divisions, and distribution channels. This streamlined approach accelerates both product development and marketing efforts.
Success story: Bermad
Bermad is an international manufacturer and distributor of water flow management products used in waterworks, irrigation, buildings, mining, and fire protection. Their business model relies on product catalogs in the form of pre-made documents. These started to pose problems given Bermad’s worldwide presence.
Challenge: keeping product catalogs in sync
Operating out of 13 offices and hundreds of distributors worldwide, Bermad found it challenging to keep all of those locations supplied with up-to-date product catalogs. The requirement to present data in multiple languages and currencies further complicated the matter.
Solution
The synergy between Pimcore’s PIM, DAM, and document creation modules allowed Bermad to almost completely automate the process of creating catalogs. The system finds relevant information and assets in respective databases and combines them into PDF documents. It also automatically adjusts languages and currencies when needed.
Thanks to the implementation, Bermad shortened the time needed to create a catalog by three to four months and reduced costs associated with the process by 30%.
3. Enhanced collaboration and workflow
Manufacturing often involves cross-functional collaboration among various teams, including design, engineering, marketing, and sales. Pimcore's collaborative features provide a platform for these teams to work together seamlessly.
The system offers role-based access controls, task assignments, and version tracking to promote efficient teamwork. This results in breaking down communication barriers, a reduction of redundant work, and an accelerated time to market for new products.
Success story: Peugeot Motocycles
Peugeot Motocycles is the oldest manufacturer of motorized two-wheelers in the world with its history reaching back as far as 1898. Recently, however, its growth has been held back by an outdated website.
Challenge: a long time to market
Adding new products to Puegeot’s old website was a grueling manual process because of an outdated and error-prone system. With the website content not keeping up with the current product catalog, it didn’t perform well in terms of driving conversions. It was clear that a major overhaul was in order.
Solution
Implementing Pimcore as the PIM system significantly improved the website’s performance. It became snappier to work with for both the admins and customers, and adding new products became much easier and quicker. As a result, Peugeot Motocycles saw a significant increase in conversions through the contact form and test-drive signups.
Manufacturing success with Pimcore
In the modern manufacturing landscape, a well-rounded PIM solution can be an ace up your sleeve. It can drastically improve the way businesses manage complexity, optimize efficiency, and drive innovation. By harnessing this power, manufacturers can unlock a world of possibilities where precision and efficiency converge to redefine success.
Of course, the list of benefits goes on, and this article is only meant to give you a taste of the key ones. We've recently released an eBook that goes over more applications and benefits of PIM software in the manufacturing industry. Make sure to have a look to get a complete picture of what such implementations can accomplish for your business.
Published October 19, 2023
