Finlandia Vodka’s packaging materials from a single source safely and with brand consistency

Finlandia Vodka is exported to over 100 countries. In order to consider the needs of both production and the global distribution network in terms of product, label and packaging material information, Brown-Forman Finland must have a system and process to implement everything with a consistent brand management. The company implemented Gredi’s modular material bank solution and integrated it into the Altia Rajamäki plant’s production control system.

Challenges

When products are exported to more than 100 countries, there are a lot of product labels, packaging and transport materials. While the legislation on alcoholic products varies widely between countries, it is essential to manage the whole as effectively as possible. To ensure data security and prevent improper use, all materials must be in one secure location that only authorized users can access.

Solution

Gredi provided Brown-Forman Finland with an intelligent Digital Asset Management solution that enables the management of company’s all label and packaging materials through one service globally on a 24/7 basis. The Gredi solution is also integrated with Altia’s Rajamäki plant’s production control system, which ensures that the production line controls in real time that there is the right product in production. Thus, the label and packaging material available from the service will accept and ensure the start of production.

Benefits

Gredi’s solution has brought many benefits to Brown-Forman Finland’s marketing and production:

• Product Information Management has become more effective when all digital product information and packaging materials are available in one system for a global distribution network. Searching, finding, managing, and sharing the right information is easy.
• Information security has increased as service access rights can be managed easily and safely. Due to a user-friendly interface, all users have quickly deployed the service.
• Gredi’s solution enables integration directly into the production control system. Manual work has been reduced. The possibility of errors in production decreases when all the checks can be done in real time directly on the production line.
• Gredi’s service has been developed in close co-operation with the customer. Gredi has actively responded to the changing needs with a strong industry expertise.

“The continuous development of the service, the know-how of Gredi’s production team and close cooperation are the main reasons why our partnership has been going on for 16 years. Ideas are always shared, and if we have any questions, Gredi will always solve the challenge,” says Asta Seppälä-Puputti, Portfolio and packaging artwork manager at Brown-Forman Finland.

“After the latest update version of the service, we have also planned the introduction of new modules. For example, the image commentary and approval model of the materials convinced us and streamlining of these processes is in consideration,” continues Asta Seppälä-Puputti.

Finlandia Vodka

Finlandia Vodka Worldwide Ltd was founded in 2000 as a joint venture between Altia and the American Brown-Forman Corporation. The company employs approximately 4,600 people worldwide. Its brands include: Jack Daniels and Finlandia Vodka.

Finlandia Vodka Worldwide Ltd, now Brown-Forman Finland, is a 100% owned subsidiary of the American Brown-Forman Corporation. The company is domiciled in Helsinki and employs 19 people. In accordance with the existing manufacturing agreement, Altia will continue as exclusive manufacturer of Finlandia Vodka.

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