The EDA’s 3rd Digitalisation Forum and 1st Digitalisation Awards, celebrating excellence in product data, took place recently in the City of London, attended by over 100 delegates from UK wholesalers, manufacturers, and solution providers.
The event is designed to help UK wholesalers future-proof their businesses by sharing the latest thinking on the ecommerce landscape, their customers’ buying habits, and their options for digital systems that will improve and automate their operations. From internal business systems through to full-service ecommerce websites, delegates had access to open sessions designed to provide clarity in a non-proprietary format. The event also focused on the importance of working with manufacturers to obtain the highest quality product data to drive sales and how electrical wholesalers can learn from best practice in other sectors when creating their digital strategies
Margaret Fitzsimons, CEO at the EDA, who opened the Forum, said: “Since the onset of the pandemic, ecommerce has boomed in every sector and electrotechnical is no exception but B2B is, for the most part, some way behind the B2C sectors. There was no shortage of inspiration from our speakers who shared their experiences of best practice. We were delighted to secure James Hardy, a speaker of international renown on ecommerce and online growth strategies, plus delegates heard from the UK’s retail grocery sector about the bar code revolution and how the electrotechnical sector could benefit too.”
Richard Appleton, general manager, EDA Data Services, said: “The digital systems that businesses depend on to harness, connect and process product data are everywhere, but complexity also brings confusion. Today we aimed to provide clarity by offering delegates access to some straight-talking panel discussions. We are most grateful to our Affiliate Solution Providers for setting aside their commercial interests and coming together to share their expertise for the good of the sector.”
The event also included the presentation of the inaugural EDA Digitalisation Awards, celebrating the 12 manufacturers whose product data has achieved the highest quality Gold Standard. The winners, selected from over 50 leading brands currently syndicating their data through the EDATA data pool, are:
Aico Ltd
Ansell Lighting
BELL Lighting
Collingwood Lighting
JCC
LEDVANCE Ltd
Lewden
NVC Lighting Ltd
Signify (Philips Lighting)
Timeguard Ltd
Wiska UK Ltd
Prysmian Cables & Systems Ltd
The Digitalisation Forum was sponsored by these Affiliated Solutions Providers: Intact Software, ES Tech Group, OrderWise, eCommonSense (An ECI Software Solutions Company), and Kerridge Commercial Systems.
The Forum programme included:
Our Digital Journey
Presenter: Jeremy Saunders, Director of Operations – North London & South West Region, CEF.
The Product Data Ecosystem
Presenter: Richard Appleton, General Manager, EDA Data Services Limited.
Panel Discussion: In conversation with the experts: ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)
What’s behind the Bar?
Presenters: Sarah Jordan, UK&I Business Excellence Manager, Data Standards & Data Management, Nestlé UK Ltd, and Harshal Gore, Industry Engagement Director, GS1 UK Ltd.
Panel Discussion: In conversation with the experts: Ecommerce
Panel Discussion: In conversation with the experts: PIM (Product Information Management)
The Future of the Wholesaler
Presenters: James Hardy, Former Head of Europe, Alibaba.
