Case Study 1: Dow Corning:
See how Dow Corning realized a 25 percent reduction in fulfillment expenditures plus a 20 percent reduction in printing costs…

The Challenge
With some 10,000 products available to more than 30,000 global customers in a broad range of industries, Dow Corning understands the strategic significance of providing the most current information to employees and customers whenever and wherever needed.

In addition to keeping track of thousands of ever-changing data sheets, the Dow Corning realized it had far too many printed documents ­ many of them outdated ­ sitting in warehouses. It was all too easy for sales and customer service representatives to inadvertently provide incorrect information ­ which was not only embarrassing but held the potential for product liability ­ especially considering half of Dow Corning’s employees and customers speak English as a second language.

The Solution
Dow Corning recognized that an enterprise-wide solution was the only way to solve the problem. The integrated, end-to-end solution had to adapt to Dow Corning’s future needs as well as support the multiple warehousing and print options required for successful implementation. At Dow Corning, the eCatalog ensures that each order is routed to the appropriate location throughout the world and that only the latest version of each document in the correct language is used.

The database of thousands of items were linked from Documentum to eCatalog, integrating Documentum management to route orders to the appropriate local and global fulfillment houses, with an installation of less than 90 days.

The Results
The results measured by Dow Corning include a 25 percent reduction in print-on-demand and fulfillment expenditures. An additional 20 percent reduction in printing costs was realized from the adoption of just-in-time and print-on-demand processes. Moreover, because inventory tracking is built into the system, document owners have more real-time information for making faster decisions on print orders. This has resulted in an unexpected 50 percent reduction in literature items going to backorder status. One of the greatest advantages, however, is the company’s enhanced responsiveness to customer needs, getting the latest information to those who need it and in the format desired.

Benefits

• 25% Less Fulfillment Cost
• 20% Less Printing Costs
• 50% Fewer Back Orders
• 70% Less Inventory
• Accurate Product Information
• Faster Product Information to Market
• Enhanced Responsiveness to Customer Needs
• Greater Employee Productivity
• Simplified Workflow
• Tightened Document Security
• Improved Document Management
• Supports Internal eProcurement
• Reduced Waste
• Greater Brand Control