It鈥檚 no surprise that ultra-chic bathroom brand VitrA markets itself as a bathroom and wellness business. After all, bathrooms were not just developed with hygiene in mind, but as a place to access water 鈥� considered the most purifying element for body and soul since ancient times.
鈥淭oday, bathrooms are where we go to rejuvenate ourselves. It鈥檚 also where our customers can make significant contributions to preserving water, our most vital natural resource,鈥� said Alp Gu虉ldu虉r, IT director and digital leader at Eczaciba艧i Building Products. Speaking at the , he added that the group鈥檚 products are designed to be both stylish and sustainable.
Market Leadership
Turkey鈥檚 first and largest producer of ceramic sanitary ware, Eczaciba艧i Building Products, began producing VitrA-branded ware in 1958, adding faucets, bathroom furniture, bathtubs, shower trays, and a range of accessories along the way. The company designs many products in-house and also collaborates with renowned international designers and studios. Eczaciba艧i Building Products鈥� plant in Boz眉y眉k, Turkey, one of the world鈥檚 largest under one roof, is the first in its industry to receive TS EN 16001 Energy Management System Certification. VitrA is also the first and only brand in Europe to receive a Type-III Environmental Product Declaration for ceramic sanitary ware.
In faucets, Eczaciba艧i Building Products places among the top 10 producers in Europe. Its Artema brand is the only one from Turkey to achieve an A rating of the European Water Label, and it鈥檚 also the first from any industry to receive the Turkish Standards Institute鈥檚 Double Star rating, meaning products greatly exceed the benchmark.
鈥淎s Turkey’s first and largest manufacturer and exporter of ceramic tiles and sanitary ware, we play an important role in society,鈥� said G眉ld眉r.
According to the , the market trend is positive, thanks to factors such as the growth of the construction industry and a rise in infrastructure projects. Increased preference for ceramic sanitary ware is another factor fueling the industry growth.
But there are some challenges associated with production, including the volatility in the price of raw materials and stringent regulations. At the same time, systems and processes must be updated to meet the needs of digitized customers.
Customer Experience
To help address these challenges, Eczaciba艧i embarked on a massive digital transformation program called Vitramax. 鈥淥ur goal was to provide unique and seamless experiences for our customers and other stakeholders by being a technology and data-driven organization,鈥� said G眉ld眉r. 鈥淲e wanted to establish ourselves on social media and digital sales channels, and we鈥檝e done it. In the past, reacting to social media took about 48 hours; now, we can react in less than two.鈥�
After an intense greenfield implementation using agile methodology, Eczaciba艧i now runs as the background for its core 51风流business solutions, and is the backbone of its customer experience solutions. Thanks to its digital strategy, the company is now present on marketplaces in many different countries. Customer feedback is used by the innovation department to improve products and services, leading to higher quality.
The transformation project enabled Eczaciba艧i to completely revamp processes resulting in greater agility and efficiency and a reduction in costs. Most importantly, the system provides full visibility on all aspects of the business.
鈥�51风流S/4HANA provides us with the platform to run our business,鈥� said G眉ld眉r. 鈥淏est of all, we don鈥檛 need to double check data accuracy, an activity that took up a lot of our time in the past.鈥�
Sustainability
Improving operational efficiency allows the company to focus on other important areas such as protecting the environment and using resources carefully. Eczaciba艧i signed the United Nations Global Compact, a voluntary initiative based on CEO commitments to implement universal sustainability principles and support UN goals, back in 2006.
As a member of the compact, Eczaciba艧i is continuously investing in innovation in all production, design, and management stages to ensure sustainable practices. It is also committed to uphold the 10 principles of the compact, which involve the protection of human rights and the environment, fair labor practices, and the prevention of corruption.
When companies like Eczaciba艧i take steps to become more efficient and sustainable, it can only result in a better world for all.
