Swiss fittings manufacturer runs CIM DATABASE

PDM project starts with CATIA V5 data management and ERP alignment

Bremen, January 30th 2007 – The Swiss JRG Gunzenhauser AG with headquarters in Sissach near Basel is specialised in manufacturing high-quality fittings and pipes for building services engineering. Being awarded several times for its innovations, the company plans to control its development processes with CIM DATABASE. Therefore, a continuous product data management from design, mould construction of their own foundry up to logistics.

For a start, CATIA V5 data management for currently 25 CAD work stations including data migration from the former PDM system and an automated data conversion into neutral viewing and archive formats for users without CAD systems was implemented. Moreover, the introduction stage entailed maintenance of parts lists, an integration to the ERP system PSIpenta, full text indexing of document contents and meta data as well as a web integration for research purposes only. In addition it is considered to later on expand the new PDM/PLM system into document data management and project management.

For three generations, the 1887-established JRG is owned by family Gunzenhauser and currently employs around 450 people. JRG has locations in Germany and Austria as well as a global distribution network. Besides the wholesale industry, customers include site engineers, architects and builders. To defend its own market position, Johann Rudolf Gunzenhauser, chairman of the executive board, fosters a corporate culture which is open for new solutions, processes and technologies. Hence, the implementation of CIM DATABASE aims at optimising core processes of development and manufacturing and at the same time reducing time and cost expenditures. 'Our products just have to be always better and only slightly more expensive than those of our competition' explains engineer Gunzenhauser who is responsible for many of the company’s innovations. 'If not, we will not be able to stand up against competition, especially from low-cost countries'.