Loacker is a famed Italian brand known for its delectable wafer and chocolate products. The company’s commitment to quality and sustainability extends beyond their products to their digital operations, where they sought to optimize their digital assets and enhance collaboration among stakeholders. To accomplish this, they successfully implemented a software solution for digital asset management (DAM) and product information management.
In 1925, Alfons Loacker created his first “cialda di Bolzano”—his first Bolzano wafer—a scrumptious delight, crisp and thin, filled with the most luscious creams. Almost a century lat- er, Loacker S.p.A. is still based in South Tyrol (Italy) specializing in the production of wafers, chocolate, among other products.
Loacker operates two plants; one in Auna di Sotto on the Renon and a second in Heinfels in East Tyrol (Austria). Today, the third generation leads the family-owned company: Armin’s sons Andreas and Martin Loacker, together with his nephew Ulrich Zuenelli who works as executive chairman. Their products are enjoyed worldwide but especially in Italy, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the United States and China.
Recently, recognizing the need to organize their extensive digital asset library and ensure data quality, Loacker embarked on a project to consolidate their assets into a single platform accessible to both internal and external stake- holders. This included providing field operators, such as salespeople, agents, and retailers, with modern tools to access digital assets from any device—even offline.
The implementation process presented its challenges, particularly in integrating the DAM solution with Loacker’s existing SAP manage- ment software. The complexity of their bill of materials and various data structures required careful streamlining to ensure consistency and optimize efficiency. However, Loacker success- fully overcame these obstacles, transforming the DAM platform into the graphical interface for SAP, automating the creation of product data and enabling smoother internal processes.
To enhance collaboration and optimize work-flows, Loacker fully integrated their DAM solution with the MS Sharepoint Portal and DALIM ES SDK. This integration facilitated access to creative marketing materials, including packaging and point-of-sale displays, and enabled high-resolution views of all assets.
The DALIM ES SDK automatically notifies a person if artwork is ready for review. Specifically, it allows every stakeholder— those who have permission to review and/or approve—to review every concept and provide annotations if comments are needed. There is even a ‘Virtual Compare’ feature that allows users to conduct a side-by-side review to detect even the slightest differences between two versions of the same concept. The project manager not only has the opportunity to review all suggestions and make edits as needed—there is also a record and source of all comments. This digital process makes the review much more streamlined and ensures accuracy. It also allows everyone to offer suggestions for localized nuances.
This functionality, utilizing annotations and integration with the internal approval workflow known as “RUNDLAUF”, further streamlines processes and improves productivity.
he success of the project was attributed to a crucial assessment phase, during which the project team explored the system’s potential, shared needs and desires, and defined process rules. Loacker opted for the Chalco.net solution due to its modular architecture and seamless integration capabilities with other systems, ensuring a customized and efficient implementation.
Throughout the process, the Hyphen-Group team provided valuable support, demonstrating their technical expertise and aligning their visions to meet Loacker’s requirements. The friendliness and helpfulness of the Hyphen team fostered cooperation among key users in the company, creating an excellent atmosphere for collabora- tion and change management.
Looking ahead, Loacker plans to implement customized front-end solutions for external users such as their sales force, agents, and retail part- ners. They also have prioritized the maintenance and optimization of the core functionalities of the implemented DAM system, ensuring they remain at the forefront of the company’s evolving digital landscape.
Loacker’s case history exemplifies their com- mitment to leveraging technology to streamline operations, enhance collaboration, and deliver exceptional experiences to their stakeholders. By optimizing their digital asset management processes, Loacker continues to uphold their reputation as a provider of high-quality wafer and chocolate products, delighting customers around the world.