Product data is the DNA of the value chain. No trade could take place without product data. Product data describes what a product is, how it is designed and what is required to be able to purchase it, as well as its purpose. How companies choose to use and manage product data has a direct impact on their profits.
The SSG Product Database, which is the strategic resource for uniform product data within the company, corporate group and industry, is updated continually and today it contains more than 500,000 items classified with unique identities and descriptions. It serves as an internal purchasing catalogue and can be used in purchasing and stock systems as well as in design and maintenance systems.
At present, the concept is applied by the greater part of the Swedish forest industry and a growing segment of the Swedish steel industry.
Free up substantial value
Enterprises that subscribe to the SSG Product Database continually save very substantial resources by using uniform product data in the design, purchasing and maintenance of the company’s industrial plants.
The service helps to maintain control throughout the purchasing chain and member mills realize substantial savings was well as lower purchasing costs, improved quality, higher delivery reliability and less administration.
Greater transparency
The product database is structured for transparency. Member industries make use of common item data and can make their stocks visible to other members. This feature makes finding and borrowing items that are critical for operations easier and faster, items where delivery from the vendor can take weeks.
Implementation model
To gain an idea about costs, effects and the consequences of an implementation SSG employs an implementation model that involves a preliminary study, a cost-benefit analysis and an implementation phase with planning, execution and post-costing. Implementation includes training of the concerned personnel, establishing system structures, mapping of the customer’s item data with the SSG Product Database and registration of new items in the database.
Direct database access
The database is integrated with the existing business management system. Quality-reviewed product data is accessible via the customer’s local business management system or via SSG’s web service.
Work is currently underway to make the product database available in more European languages.