Akeneo PIM Implementation — Groupe ECF

About the project

Akeneo PIM Implementation for a Complex B2B Technical Product Catalog

Groupe ECF, a European B2B distributor of technical equipment for the hospitality and food service sectors, required a structured PIM implementation to manage a high-complexity product catalog. Doctor Project led the Akeneo PIM deployment from scoping through go-live: product family design, attribute model definition, supplier onboarding workflows, and multi-channel catalog syndication for trade, e-commerce, and EDI distribution.

THE CHALLENGE

B2B Product Data Complexity Without a Structured Information Architecture

Groupe ECF's catalog spans thousands of technical SKUs with complex attributes: equipment specifications, compatibility matrices, safety certifications, and supplier-specific reference numbers. Data was managed across multiple spreadsheets and unstructured supplier feeds — with no unified attribute model, no enrichment workflow, and no channel differentiation. Time-to-market for new product ranges was measured in weeks. B2B buyers received inconsistent data depending on the channel they accessed.

HOW WE FIX ISSUEs

Akeneo PIM Rollout — Product Family Design, Supplier Onboarding, and Multi-Channel Syndication

Designed and implemented Akeneo PIM for a complex B2B technical catalog: product family design covering 12 major equipment categories, attribute model definition for 800+ technical specifications, and structured supplier onboarding workflow to ingest feeds from 40+ vendors. Channel mapping for trade catalog, e-commerce storefront, and EDI distribution. Delivered a complete enrichment workflow covering technical data, regulatory documentation, and digital assets. Product data onboarding cycle reduced from 3 weeks to 4 days post go-live.

THE TOOLBOX