Highlight
Successful together – our valantic Team.
Meet the people who bring passion and accountability to driving success at valantic.
Get to know us
The Glue for Central Product Data
Jowat consolidates product knowledge with Viamedici EPIM
Jowat SE, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of industrial adhesives, has partnered with valantic to implement Viamedici EPIM as its central product database. Since then, technical data sheets have been generated fully automatically in 14 languages. SAP S4/HANA and the d.velop document management system are seamlessly integrated. And the architecture is already prepared for future e-commerce solutions.
The project at a glance
Challenge
Jowat SE managed a complex adhesive portfolio without a centralized PIM system: Product data was stored in a decentralized and redundant manner across various systems; a significant portion existed only as employee knowledge; and providing information in multiple languages (e.g., for technical data sheets) as well as for different output channels required time-consuming manual processes.
Consulting approach
valantic collaborated with Jowat to develop an industry-specific data model that precisely maps the various adhesive technologies, and implemented Viamedici EPIM with seamless interfaces to SAP S4/HANA and d.velop, including automated translation processes via Trados and hotfolder integration for marketing.
Solution & benefits
Viamedici EPIM is now the central database for all Jowat product data: Technical data sheets are generated fully automatically in 14 languages; the SAP integration eliminates the need for duplicate data entry; and the architecture is already set up for future e-commerce solutions.
About Jowat SE
Jowat SE, headquartered in Detmold, is one of the world’s leading suppliers of industrial adhesives. Founded in 1919, the family-owned company has evolved over more than 100 years into a global full-service provider of adhesive solutions. Jowat’s adhesives are used in particular in woodworking shops and furniture manufacturing, the paper and packaging industries, the graphic arts sector, as well as in the textile, automotive, and electronics industries.
With approximately 1,400 employees, Jowat produces 100,000 metric tons of adhesives annually at locations in Germany (Detmold and Elsteraue) as well as through four international production companies: Jowat Corporation (USA), Jowat Swiss AG, Jowat Manufacturing (Malaysia), and Jowat China Adhesives Co. Ltd. A global network of 26 subsidiaries and partner companies ensures close, on-site customer support.
Jowat is recognized as a technology and innovation leader in the adhesives industry.
Jowat SE headquarter in Detmold (Image source: Jowat SE)
The challenge
When product knowledge is locked away in silos and in people's heads—and there are many languages to contend with globally
As a manufacturer of a broad portfolio of industrial adhesives for a wide range of industries, Jowat faces unique challenges in product data management. Different adhesive technologies require a complex data model that must accurately reflect both industry-specific and international requirements—from technical data sheets and product brochures to the website and internal systems. Two aspects were particularly challenging at the outset:
Decentralized data, redundancies, lack of a system
At the start of the project, product and media data at Jowat was stored in a decentralized and redundant manner across various systems. A significant portion of the product knowledge existed solely as employee knowledge and was therefore neither structured nor centrally available. Providing data for various output channels required time-consuming manual processes and coordination cycles.
Multilingualism as a particular challenge
Particularly time-consuming: handling multilingual content for international markets. Jowat adhesives are now available in over 80 countries. Every product change had to be manually translated into numerous languages. Jowat needed a centralized system that would capture all product data in a structured manner, account for industry-specific complexities, and integrate seamlessly with SAP and the d.velop document management system—all while taking future requirements into account, such as a new e-commerce solution.
Image source: Jowat SE
The solution
Viamedici EPIM for a comprehensive portfolio of industrial adhesives
valantic’s PIM and MDM Competence Center, in collaboration with Jowat Viamedici, implemented EPIM (Enterprise Product Information Management) as the central system for product data management. The focus was on developing an industry-specific data model that precisely maps Jowat’s various adhesive technologies. Data inheritance and customer-specific processes simplify data maintenance, while reports provide support for extensive maintenance requirements.
Seamless integration of SAP S4/HANA, d.velop, and Trados
Interfaces with SAP and the d.velop document management system enable seamless approval workflows that eliminate the need for duplicate data entry.
Hotfolders were used to seamlessly integrate the EPIM DAM system into day-to-day marketing operations.
Automated translation via Trados now enables content to be delivered in 14 languages without manual intervention.
An overview of the technologies used:
- Viamedici EPIM
- SAP S4/HANA (ERP integration)
- d.velop Document Management System
- Trados (Translation Management)
- Hotfolder processes
Adhesive Sample Container (Image source: Jowat SE)
Core components of the solution
-
Industry-specific data model for adhesive technologies with inheritance
-
Centralization of product knowledge: even employees' implicit knowledge is captured in a structured manner
-
SAP integration: imports eliminate the need for duplicate data maintenance
-
d.velop integration: seamless approval workflows, document sharing updated daily
-
Automation: conversions, data transformations, rule-based mappings
-
Hotfolder integration: EPIM-DAM integrated into day-to-day marketing operations, Trados translation
-
Automated technical data sheets currently available in 14 languages with an approval workflow
-
Future-proof architecture: future distribution channels already factored into the project
Results & benefits at a glance
What has Jowat gained from Viamedici EPIM?
Central product data in Viamedici EPIM
capture and organize employee knowledge
Industry-specific data model
accurately reflects all adhesive technologies
Automated translation
technical data sheets currently available in 14 languages
Seamless SAP integration
makes duplicate data maintenance obsolete
Approval workflows
work across systems and are updated daily
Reports & automations
reduce the burden of extensive data maintenance
Transparency
for all stakeholders across all distribution channels
Future-proof architecture
Viamedici EPIM as a long-term foundation for all digital channels
Strategic perspective
Jowat as a digital pioneer in the adhesives industry
At Jowat, Viamedici EPIM is positioned not only as a solution for current needs, but also as the foundation for all future digital channels. The e-commerce solution already incorporated into the project demonstrates that Jowat consistently approaches product data from the perspective of the channel, thereby creating a scalable foundation for further steps toward digitalization.
Image source: Jowat SE
And how far along is your data management?
Do these challenges sound familiar, and would you like to optimize your data infrastructure for AI, automation, and scalability? Just send us a message. We’ll answer any other questions you may have about the project in our FAQ or, if you prefer, in a one-on-one conversation.
FAQ: What other companies in the industry wanted to know
Jowat and valantic began developing an industry-specific data model for the various adhesive technologies. Viamedici EPIM was subsequently implemented with seamless interfaces to SAP and D3. Key feature: The automated generation of technical data sheets in 14 languages was achieved through an integrated Trados translation process.
At Jowat, technical data sheets are automatically generated in 14 languages using Viamedici EPIM in combination with the Trados translation system. Product data from SAP flows directly into the PIM system, a approval workflow manages quality assurance, and the finished documents are transferred daily to the D3 document management system.
Viamedici EPIM enables companies such as Jowat to manage complex, industry-specific product data in a structured manner. Key benefits: a central database for all product information, automated data sheets in up to 14 languages, seamless SAP integration without duplicate data entry, and a future-proof architecture for additional digital channels.