Companies like the BAUMIT group need extremely powerful software solutions which allow them to efficiently manage their product- and marketing-related publications and company-specific information throughout the organization. In addition to the management of diverse product data (e.g. numeric values, formulae, texts, images, graphics, etc.), especially the organization of various types of publications, from data sheets to product packaging and from labels to catalogues, brochures and website, translated into different languages, presents a major challenge for BAUMIT.
Systems which did not meet BAUMIT’s requirements regarding user-friendliness and performance were not included in the first part of the selection process because easy-to-use software tools and multi-user access to the product information system are essential to considerably save time and costs based on optimized processes.

The next step was to find out which of the remaining systems could handle publications in currently 23 languages. This included user guidance as well as numerous details regarding data collection, maintenance and processing. Further requirements had to be fulfilled, including a translation memory system (TMS) linked to the system and trouble-free processing of additional country-specific characters as well as flexible layout templates which adjust to language-specific differences in text length.
Finally, it was important to find ways of technically integrating the solution into the existing IT infrastructure. Numerous connection capabilities, for example to the company’s eDocument and online systems as well as to the ERP system, had to be part of the ideal solution. The providers had to carefully check the different integration capabilities and to estimate the time and costs involved in this process.

After this three-level selection process, two final candidates were chosen out of a group of eight providers. Finally, BAUMIT chose the EPIM system since Viamedici had excellent client references that reflected similar projects and proven expertise in the construction industry. Another asset was the knowledge, skills and experience of Viamedici’s staff.
BAUMIT’s project managers said: “We felt that we would be in good hands".
Markus Kopecky, head of the New Media, Internet & eBusiness division at BAUMIT, summarizes the decision: “Viamedici’s EPIM system is perfectly designed to meet the specific needs of the manufacturing industry. The system exactly fulfills our requirements, from product data collection and maintenance to flexible data processing at some later time. EPIM has become an important tool which helps us substantially optimize our internal workflow and foster further growth. The project has proved to be enormously profitable thanks to the high acceptance rate with our employees who use EPIM on a daily basis, the optimized data structures and dramatically reduced time and cost.“

After successful completion of the pilot phase, the existing product and marketing information was transferred to EPIM, including data processing in 23 languages. Existing publications are created as part of the automated process.
Another plus for EPIM is that users have access to translations, graphics conversions for web and DTP output formats or ready-to-use layouts in all languages they might need with the ease of a mouse click. BAUMIT intends to implement EPIM in the IT infrastructure of both parent companies in order to increase the rate of use throughout the organization.

About BAUMIT:
The Wietersdorfer group and Schmid Industrie Holding pooled their resources to create the Baumit brand. In 2006, the Wietersdorfer group achieved a turnover of approximately EUR 650 million with about 3,000 employees. The turnover of Schmid Industrie Holding was even slightly more than EUR 1 billion, and they had a workforce of almost 4,000 employees. Baumit’s core business covers building materials for facades, plaster and screeds. All of its products are precisely coordinated with each other, geared to meet the customers’ specific needs - from binders and cement to plaster and from adhesives and putties to thermal insulation systems. Building regulations regarding the technical and chemical features of materials are frequently drawn up in the construction industry and can vary considerably between different countries. It is therefore necessary for architects, planners and technicians to provide comprehensive documentation about the use, the deployability and compatibility of the building materials.

About Viamedici:
With numerous international locations and a multitude of renowned and enthusiastic customers, Viamedici is the leading software company for product information management (PIM) and cross media publishing (CMP) solutions. The focus lies on Viamedici’s EPIM product suite (Enterprise Product Information Management) which allows product information to be centrally collected and administered, and to be published in diverse target media, such as catalogues, brochures, user manuals, content management systems and online shops.