About Weilbach: transformation into a beacon of digital excellence
Established over two centuries ago as a supplier of maritime essentials like sails and compasses, Weilbach's journey mirrors the evolution of the shipping industry itself. Fiona Banton, Head of Communications at CherSoft, highlighted Weilbach's agility and forward-thinking ethos have been pivotal in their trajectory. Adapting to technological shifts, Weilbach transitioned from traditional paper charts—reminiscent of those seen in classic pirate tales—to innovative digital solutions, aligning with the industry's digitalization wave.
The move towards digitalization wasn't just an evolution, it was a strategic leap into the future. Weilbach's recent acquisition of CherSoft signaled a monumental shift, catalyzing their transformation from purveyors of physical goods to pioneers of comprehensive digital solutions. This strategic integration and subsequent rebranding cemented CherSoft's seamless assimilation into the Weilbach legacy, marking a new era dedicated to empowering the maritime domain with advanced technology and fostering enhanced efficiency and safety across global waters.
Weilbach operates with a dedicated team of 56 employees spread across various offices, ensuring global accessibility to their products and solutions. While their offerings are available worldwide, the hub for physical goods predominantly resides in Denmark. With an inventory comprising a little over 10,000 SKUs, Weilbach curates a comprehensive range of products tailored for the maritime industry. To cater to a diverse clientele, product descriptions are adeptly presented in two languages—English and Danish—ensuring clarity and accessibility across international markets.
Challenges:
- Scalability and cost: the need for a solution that could accommodate a moderate to large range of SKUs (approximately 5000 to 10000) without the complexity and costs associated with large enterprise-level PIM systems
- Outdated data extraction method: the reliance on daily CSV file extraction from the website poses a high risk for errors and demands regular maintenance, presenting a challenge in terms of data accuracy and efficiency. Maintenance of CSV files within Aspect4 incurred supplementary costs, posing a financial challenge
- Limited enrichment options: the existing ERP system (Aspect 4) had constraints in enriching product data, including the ability to create an optimal user experience due to limitations on the number of characters allowed for content, impacting the quality and completeness of product information
- Image management: poor handling of images with naming conventions based on SKU via Secure FTP resulted in cumbersome image management
Objectives:
- Simplified PIM solution: seeking a straightforward PIM system that could efficiently handle SKU volumes without unnecessary complexities or costs
- Enrichment and control: the desire for enhanced product enrichment capabilities beyond what the ERP system (Aspect 4) offered, particularly in controlling and enriching product data based on conditions
- Integration and data extraction: utilizing solution to extract and integrate crucial data (product, inventory, pricing, VAT, customer data) from the ERP system and then into the new webshop environment
- Image management enhancement: addressing the inefficiencies in image management by implementing a more organized and efficient process for image transfer and cataloging
- Consolidation and integration: streamlining the ecosystem by consolidating disparate systems, ensuring seamless integration between the PIM solution and existing in-house and third-party systems
- Cloud migration and adaptation: incorporating the PIM solution into the Azure migration strategy and leveraging cloud capabilities for improved system performance and flexibility
Why did Weilbach choose the Ergonode PIM?
- An optimal blend of practicality and affordability
- SaaS solution
- Tailored enrichment options for organizational alignment
- Rapid updates enabled by multi-editing field features
- Flexible and intuitive views for sorting and filters, enhanced by drag-and-drop functionality
- Streamlined translation capabilities via in-app Deepl translate integration
- Adaptable templates for diverse product needs
- Segmentation for product condition parameters between PROD and staging environments
- Seamless workflow management
- Effortless user and role administration
- Control over how and what to bind to the webshop
- Facilitated product transfer notifications for enrichment content team
Results
Weilbach's integration of Ergonode's PIM solution marked a strategic leap toward operational efficiency. Leveraging Ergonode's intuitive interface and comprehensive capabilities, Weilbach optimized data management, enabling swift updates and seamless navigation. Their implementation of a smart category tree and heightened transparency in daily workflows amplified their efficiency remarkably. Weilbach's innovative prowess was evident in their tailored data approach, fine-tuning categorization methods for precise product information. This collaborative journey with Ergonode exemplified Weilbach's commitment to efficiency, enabling nuanced product presentations.
