Holzland GmbH

HolzLand GmbH was founded in 1985 by 41 German timber merchants. Today, HolzLand is one of the largest associations of timber traders in Europe, with partners in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, the Benelux countries and the Czech Republic. The network now includes more than 450 specialist timber retailers of all sizes – ranging from pure timber wholesalers serving professional customers to timber merchants focused on end consumers.

Looking for consulting expertise

“It was clear to us that we needed a PIM system, and there were already quite a few providers on the market. But essentially, we were not looking for software – we were looking for a solution,” recalls Christian Haltermann, Head of Digital Services at HolzLand GmbH. “Above all, we needed a sparring partner who could quickly understand the specifics of our business and reflect them in their solution.”

The challenge was not only data quality and the flexible enrichment of data, but above all the sheer volume of data that had to be managed. Today, more than 1.3 million product records from over 250 industrial suppliers with more than 1,000 supplier catalogues are maintained. novomind iPIM mastered this challenge by defining rules for data visibility and mapping them individually. Christian Haltermann explains: “That was exactly the consulting expertise we were looking for.”

The novomind solution for HolzLand

It quickly became clear that HolzLand needed its own database model – one that is highly adaptable and can be extended individually. “We need full control over the quality status of our data. Only then can we provide our members with high-quality product data for use across all relevant channels,” says Christian Haltermann. This requirement was successfully implemented with novomind iPIM.