Now, they manage 1.7 million style configurations seamlessly and have identified 500,000 new styles for sale. What used to take months now takes as little as 90 minutes to process.
Their director of product data noted, “Our team has their time back. With a single source of data, we can make seamless updates across the organization, for customers, and across channels. That’s the beauty of STEP—one change transforms everything.”
Use case 2: Compliance simplified
Compliance is a moving target for manufacturers, especially with country- and industry-specific regulations. The stakes are high—risking fines and loss of trust.
For a multi-billion-dollar global manufacturer, it was time for action. They struggled to maintain compliance across 80 geographical locations, each with its own set of regulations—from heat convection and material use to international measurement standards.
Enthusiastically backed by the CEO, they invested in a global PIM platform and engaged Amplifi to guide the project in line with their strategic goals. We divided the project into focused initiatives, starting with an MVP and scaling to a global PIM rollout.
Now, the manufacturer has accurate and accessible data across the business. PIM streamlines complex compliance workflows to test and confirm product safety. When a certification expires, they get an automated alert, keeping them ahead of renewals.
The company is also better prepared for audits and regulatory changes. For example, a recent audit —which previously took weeks of preparation—was completed seamlessly with less stress and a fraction of the time.
Use case 3: Connected systems
Over the years, manufacturers often acquire new systems and companies, creating a tangled web of platforms that can’t communicate. This lack of interoperability makes it difficult to track data or trace the origins of raw materials and finished goods.
One American manufacturer—operating multiple businesses with diverse product ranges—faced this exact challenge. Disjointed workflows, standards, and languages made it nearly impossible to connect systems and gain clear visibility across their operations.
They turned to Amplifi for help. We guided them in implementing a global PIM solution and showed how it could unify their businesses across global locations.
What started as a small project has grown into a trusted partnership across nine project areas. By addressing interoperability, the company streamlined operations and created a more unified, efficient approach to managing product data on a global scale.
Use case 4: Supply chain visibility
Many manufacturers depend on accurate supply chain data to boost efficiency, improve margins, and sell effectively across channels. However, this data is often missing, inaccurate, or difficult to source.
A leading provider of home improvement products tackled this issue by implementing centralized data management using STEP by Stibo Systems. They refined over 300,000 data points to improve quality and speed to market, while streamlining collaboration between vendors, merchandising, global sourcing, and compliance teams.
By reducing reliance on siloed spreadsheets and back-and-forth emails, the company quickly filled critical data gaps.
The company's senior director of Information Technology & Data Architecture explained that trends in the industry change all the time, so speed to market is crucial. He noted, "By gaining efficiency through nearly every phase of the product lifecycle, we’ve accelerated our speed to market by over 55%.”
Use case 5: Track and trace
For manufacturers in growth mode, keeping track of a vast product catalog can quickly turn into a major challenge—especially during mergers and acquisitions (M&A). As product lines and systems multiply, it becomes harder to trace data origins, raw materials, and product information, leading to inefficiencies and compliance risks.
A leading manufacturer of industrial products managing 100,000+ SKUs faced similar hurdles. Their existing ERP simply couldn’t keep up with the demands of handling detailed product data or tracing it back to its source.
The situation became even more challenging with three major acquisitions in just 12 months. Each acquisition brought in new systems and SKUs, making the already complex task of traceability even more difficult to manage.
They turned to Amplifi for help. With our guidance, they implemented Stibo Systems’ STEP platform. We worked with them from the ground up—gathering requirements, designing a comprehensive data model, and integrating workflows and systems. The STEP platform now serves as their single source of truth, streamlining traceability, improving data attribution, and untangling hierarchy issues. They’ve gained visibility across suppliers, locations, and products to respond quickly to any issues and drive operational efficiency.
Use case 6: Clear data strategy
Without a clear strategy, even the best technology can miss the mark. That’s why so many digital transformations struggle to thrive. But with the right approach, manufacturers can unlock tangible, ongoing business value.
For example, a leading kitchen furniture manufacturer realized they needed to improve their data management to stay competitive. They had a powerful MDM platform but weren't applying it effectively—like owning a high-performance car but never taking it out of the garage.
They turned to Amplifi for help. We devised and implemented a strategy to unlock the full potential of their MDM platform. By focusing on hands-on training, team integration, and upskilling, we equipped their team to take control of their data management processes.
Together, we created a roadmap that ensured their MDM investment delivered real, ongoing value. Now, they run a robust and agile data management system, positioning them for long-term success in the fast-moving kitchen products industry.
Want to learn more about use cases and how to create an action plan for your business? Download our guide “Manufacturing: 5 critical needs data can solve”, or reach out to our team to discuss your unique requirements and how we can support you.
