Genuit Group steps up on digital transformation with Cobuilder

Genuit Group implements a centralised data management strategy with the help of Cobuilder as part of its digital transformation.

Genuit Group Plc (formerly Polypipe Group Plc) is a leading manufacturer of quality products for use in the residential, commercial, civil and infrastructure sectors. The organisation is helping construction build better, by developing and producing sustainable solutions to the key challenges faced in water, climate, and ventilation management.

“At Genuit Group, we are committed to delivering high-quality solutions that make building better. The future is digital, and offering high-quality digital data is essential to meet our clients’ expectations. Standardised, machine-readable information will enable our customers to make more environmentally-conscious decisions and increase the reuse and recycling of construction products, materials and systems”, says Angel Jimenez, Digital Innovation Director at Genuit Group.

Angel Jimenez, Digital Innovation Director at Genuit Group

Business Need

Genuit Group has identified the need to structure and standardise product data as part of its digital transformation strategy. They seek to improve information flow across the entire construction supply chain, facilitate efficient use of product data and offer a better customer experience.

Challenges

As in many organisations, processing, sorting and delivering a huge amount of up-to-date product information is a challenging task. Oftentimes, valuable data is locked in silos, spread across different departments and lost in different “computer” languages and formats.

This leads to inconsistencies in the quality and richness of the product information and hinders its seamless flow between people and software systems.

Being able to fully control and provide accurate product information that is machine-readable and consistent is essential for providing a better customer experience and continuing the digital transformation journey of Genuit Group.

Solution

Therefore, Genuit Group and Cobuilder stepped into a strategic partnership to co-develop and implement standard-based data models that enable a streamlined information flow and efficient use of product data.

For Genuit Group, Cobuilder experts applied the industry-agreed data dictionary Define for creating a ‘common digital language’ in construction and the repository of standardised information, Cobuilder Supply.

In addition, Cobuilder supported the development of API connections and integration of external DAM, ERP and PIM systems as part of Genuit’s large-scale digital initiative.

Project implementation

The project is implemented in two main phases. For the purpose of this case study, we will break down the process into several simplified steps.

  • The first step in this collaboration is to initiate multiple workshops with a wide variety of stakeholders at Genuit Group to understand the challenges, discuss and elaborate on the structure and specifics of the Logical Data Model – the entities (construction objects, physical assets), attributes (properties) and the relationships among them. Once the connectedness between elements in the model is established, it can easily be interpreted by any software and thus the model can satisfy numerous specific information needs both internally within the organisation and externally with the market.

  • The second step is to identify and collect all product data found across the manufacturer’s business and create data templates. Those data models are based on international standards and are deployed for structuring product data in a universal machine-readable format.

  • By using the industry-neutral Define data dictionary, the product information is aligned with relevant construction industry standards and regulations. All product properties are mapped to the ones corresponding to the international standards and market requirements.

  • The next step is populating the data templates with the actual product information made available by Genuit Group and creating data sheets that contain the manufacturer’s values and measures.

  • The data is captured and stored in Cobuilder goBIM – a digital product catalogue allowing the company to easily update and share product data. Through API connection, this information is easily distributed via different channels for sharing information with the market.

  • During the project implementation, Cobuilder experts are providing consultancy and training on the functionalities and use of the Define data dictionary and Cobuilder data management platform.

  • Moving forward, Cobuilder experts will develop and set up API connections with internal Genuit systems, to downstream processes, link data to web catalogs and 3D objects.

Once having reached such maturity in the product data management, based on structured and standardised information, opportunities for further enhancements, upgrades and system integrations are limitless.

Expected results

The implemented centralised approach to data management paves the way for numerous benefits. It supports automation, reduces time and labour costs.

With the help of Cobuilder, Genuit Group will be able to provide their customers with actual and consistent product information, offering a better customer experience and helping them make well-informed decisions.

As the product data is structured according to international industry standards, it improves the information exchange across the entire construction supply chain using Genuit’s products and services.

This approach enables connectivity between internal departments and systems as well as with external stakeholders and software platforms. As a result, it ensures that valuable product information reaches all participants in a construction project – from the manufacturer to the end-user.