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Rethinking product data: efficiency meets quality
NORMBAU optimizes product data with Viamedici EPIM
NORMBAU has improved its product data management with Viamedici EPIM. The result: a central, media-neutral database, automated processes and standardized partner delivery. In addition to increased efficiency and higher data quality, NORMBAU achieves GOLD status for product data in the sanitary sector.
The challenge
Growing product ranges and more channels came up against decentrally maintained, sometimes contradictory product data – with high manual effort and a lack of consistency. NORMBAU therefore needed a central, valid and media-neutral basis from which information could be reliably extracted.
Consulting approach
valantic analyzed processes and structures, developed a PIM strategy and implemented Viamedici EPIM as a central instance including ecatDesigner connection and DQR/ARGE interfaces.
Solution & benefits
NORMBAU maintains data centrally and media-neutrally, accelerates data sheet and marketing processes and transfers product data to the ARGE in a DQR-compliant manner – right up to GOLD status. This reduces complexity, cuts errors and makes product information available more quickly across all channels.
The company: NORMBAU
NORMBAU is one of the leading manufacturers of barrier-free and inclusive system solutions for sanitary areas. At its headquarters in Renchen, the company develops and produces a wide range of high-quality products with a high level of vertical integration – from folding support rails, grab rails and angle rails to shower handrails and sanitary accessories. The solutions combine functionality, safety and aesthetic design for a wide range of applications.
The portfolio is aimed at residential areas, health and care facilities, age-appropriate residential complexes, hotels and restaurants as well as public buildings. Architects, planners, operators and private clients will find both standard solutions and project-specific designs at NORMBAU.
The challenge
Accessibility needs reliability - also in the data
With a product range that is constantly growing and output channels that are becoming increasingly diverse over the years, the demand for product information is increasing significantly in many companies. It should be up-to-date, complete and, above all, identical everywhere: in the web store, in catalogs, in partner portals or when transferring data to industry platforms. It was precisely at this point that NORMBAU was faced with a crucial question: how can a data landscape that has grown historically be organized in such a way that it reliably meets the requirements of a modern market?
The initial situation
Many sources, lots of manual work, little consistency
Because what “somehow” works in day-to-day business for a long time becomes a risk with increasing complexity. Product data management revealed a situation that many organizations are familiar with: Information is decentralized in different systems and departments, maintained multiple times, interpreted differently or stored in different versions. This leads to redundancies and contradictions – and makes every change a small coordination task. As soon as data is needed for several channels, the manual effort increases dramatically: content has to be compiled, checked, coordinated and put into the right form. This takes time, ties up resources and increases the susceptibility to errors – especially when creating electronic catalogs and making them available to partners.
NORMBAU therefore formulated a clear target: a central, valid and media-neutral database as a reliable core from which product information can be efficiently derived – consistent, comprehensible and scalable. NORMBAU brought the PIM and MDM Competence Center of valantic Deutschland CEC on board to implement this target image.
The solution
A PIM system as the linchpin of product communication
Together with valantic’s PIM and MDM Competence Center, NORMBAU opted for a structured approach that has proven itself in many companies: Transparency is created first, then data and responsibilities are consolidated – and only then are the outflows and partner connections properly established. Accordingly, the project began with an analysis of the existing product data processes and structures. Based on this, a PIM strategy for centralizing and optimizing product data was developed – not as a mere system introduction, but as a foundation for permanently stable processes.
At the heart of the implementation is Viamedici EPIM as the leading system for product information and also as the central image database. SEMAINO ecatDesigner was connected for the creation and management of electronic catalogs, so that e-catalogs can be based directly on the data maintained in the PIM – without duplicate maintenance or parallel “catalog data worlds”. At the same time, interfaces were implemented to transfer product data in a standardized and compliant manner: The transfer to the ARGE takes place in compliance with the Data Quality Guideline (DQR).
To ensure that the new setup works in everyday life, the implementation was supplemented by targeted customizing, consulting and practical training. This combination ensures that processes are not only technically mapped, but also anchored in the organization – an aspect that NORMBAU also emphasizes in the project quote.
Aspects of the solution approach
- Process and structure analysis: recording the existing product data processes and data structures as the basis for a reliable target architecture
- PIM strategy for centralization: Development of a procedure for consistent, media-neutral product data management as a foundation for stable processes
- Viamedici EPIM as a central instance: Introduction of EPIM as the leading system for product information (single source of truth)
- Central image database in EPIM: bundling and management of product images and media in one place for uniform output
- SEMAINO ecatDesigner integrated: Connection for creating and maintaining e-catalogs directly based on the data maintained in the PIM
- DQR/ARGE interfaces implemented: Standardized, rule-compliant product data transfer to the ARGE in accordance with the data quality guideline
- Enablement: customizing, consulting, training – targeted adaptations and practical enablement for sustainable use in everyday life
Hans-Peter Streif
Data Manager, NORMBAU
”In valantic, we have found a partner who has competently supported us in the implementation of our new PIM system right from the start. Thanks to the targeted customizing, sound advice and practical training, we were able to make our product data maintenance significantly more efficient and noticeably increase data quality. In particular, the seamless connection to our web store and the now standardized product information create sustainable added value for the entire company.“
The benefits
Effect in everyday life: faster, cleaner, connectable
With the new system landscape, NORMBAU has created a reliable basis on which product data can be consistently maintained and used in a media-neutral way. The centralized approach works exactly where many companies feel the greatest pain: it reduces complexity, lowers the susceptibility to errors and relieves the teams in daily data maintenance. What previously required coordination loops and manual rework is now much more manageable thanks to clear data management and defined processes.
This benefits downstream processes in particular. Electronic catalogs can be efficiently created and updated on the basis of maintained PIM data – without having to compile content again and again. At the same time, product data sheets can be generated fully automatically from EPIM. For marketing and sales, this means that information is available more quickly, is standardized and updates can be implemented with less effort.
External data transfer is also becoming more reliable. This is particularly evident in the standardized partner delivery: The DQR-compliant and automated transmission to the consortium was implemented in such a way that NORMBAU achieved GOLD status for product data in the sanitary sector.
The benefits are also reflected in Hans-Peter Streif’s statement: when he talks about “significantly more efficient” and a “noticeable increase in data quality”, he means precisely this reduction in maintenance workload and the consistent database. And when he emphasizes the “seamless connection to our web store” and “standardized product information”, this refers directly to the improved connectivity of the data – internally for the processes and externally for outsourcing and partners.
Outcome: Optimized product data with Viamedici EPIM
The results at a glance-
1
Consistent, media-neutral product database
Product data is maintained centrally and used uniformly across all channels
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2
Higher data quality and fewer errors
Reduced redundancies and less susceptibility to errors in daily data maintenance
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3
Relieved teams and less manual effort
Clearer processes reduce coordination effort and rework
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4
Faster e-catalog processes
More efficient creation and updating of electronic catalogs thanks to ecatDesigner connection
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5
Automated product data sheets
Fully automated generation from EPIM reduces marketing effort and ensures consistency
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6
Standardized partner delivery
Automated DQR-compliant transmission to the ARGE as a reliable data exchange
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7
GOLD status in the sanitary sector
Proof of excellent product data quality through automated, error-free transmission to the consortium
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