Driving Digital Transformation with PIM

Knocks Fluid-Technik GmbH was founded in 1970 and is until today under family management. What started as an idea in the basement is now present all over the world in 35 countries, on every continent. Knocks is the market leader and inspires customers primarily with innovations in compressed air and filter technology.

Knocks identifies as a technology leader with a drive for modernisation and research. In order to stay in the leading position, digital transformations had to move forward. An important step was to establish both better product data management and maintenance processes.

Until now, product data was held in various data silos. This meant that many processes had to be done manually. All of this not only led to a high error rate, but also to an enormous expenditure of time for the employees.

In the area of print media, such as the creation of data sheets, the staff had to generate them manually in a very time-consuming manner. This in turn meant that they were often out of date. The product finder on the website is highly useful for Knocks' customers. Previously, this could only be kept up to date with a great deal of manual effort. Knocks was therefore looking for a solution for product information and images to manage them centrally and make them available at the right time, in the right place and in the right quality.

The product portfolio includes a standard selection of 6,500 products, which are offered to customers in 20,000 variants. This must be comprehensible, and - more importantly - accessible to employees, partners and customers in 35 countries around the world. Until now, this has not been done automatically and therefore took a lot of time.

How we proceeded

• Scoping
• Organisational- and process consulting
• Realignment of the Knocks product data model
• Data migration
• Derivation of requirements and operative implementation with Implementation of the Contentserv PIM system
• Training on the Job
• Continuous improvement
• Best Practice Approach

Why SQLI as Implementation Partner

Knocks chose Contentserv's PIM (Product Information Management) solution based on the recommendation of SQLI Digital Experience. The powerful solution makes it possible to map and complete work processes in a structured manner. Therefore, the quality of the product data is sustainably increased.

To map efficient and digital processes, SQLI applied the proven PIM reference model SQLI PIM Accelerator. This model also enabled a quick start with the system, faster workflows, and a short time-to-market, as well as minimal implementation costs.

Benefits for Knocks

• Shorter time-to-market
• High data quality and up-to-date product data
• Automated workflows
• Central data pool
• Reduction of costs
• High system stability and process reliability
• Optimised workflows for employees and suppliers
• Continuous improvement
• Sustainable, future-oriented data maintenance

By introducing PIM, Knocks has created a solid basis for product data. For the first time in the company's history, several customer channels can be supplied with up-to-date and consistent product data from a central database. In this way, the already mentioned product finder is put on a new footing. Much better and more granular product data can now be provided from the PIM, enabling customers to search according to their needs. The central product database in PIM also makes it possible to present the product data on the website completely and comprehensively. Ultimately, the foundation has also been laid for a possible entry for e-commerce.