Hydroscand to phase out print catalogues with Akeneo

Hydroscand has implemented Akeneo Digital Showroom to manage and distribute product information across global markets, covering a catalogue of more than 30,000 products used in over 20 countries.

The industrial hose supplier is replacing a fragmented system in which product data was spread across catalogues, PDFs and its eCommerce site. Field technicians had also been relying on printed materials that were not always fully up to date, creating problems for accuracy, maintenance, and the speed of product launches or specification changes.

Accurate information is central to Hydroscand's business because customers often need the right part quickly to reduce equipment downtime. With a local presence in multiple markets, the company said the scale and technical detail of its catalogue made product search and data management particularly difficult under the previous model.

Under the new set-up, Hydroscand has centralised product information in Akeneo's Product Cloud and is using Digital Showroom as its main interface for product discovery. The system gives product management, marketing, and sales teams access to the same dataset, while supporting translations and distribution across digital channels and partner networks.

The shift is also changing how information reaches engineers, distributors, and service staff. Instead of using separate documents and printed references, teams can access a single source for current specifications, reducing the risk that staff or customers work from outdated material.

Linda Löfstedt Karlsson, Head of Product Information and System Owner for Akeneo at Hydroscand, said the technical nature of the company's products meant search precision was essential.

“Hydroscand's products are technically complex, which means precision is absolutely critical,” said Linda Löfstedt Karlsson, Head of Product Information and System Owner for Akeneo at Hydroscand. “When a distributor, engineer or technician wants to find a product, they must be confident they have found exactly the right product. By working with Akeneo to build our Digital Showroom, we have created a platform where finding the correct product is now faster, easier and significantly more precise.”

The project was developed in close collaboration with Akeneo rather than deployed as a standard off-the-shelf process. Karlsson said that approach allowed Hydroscand to shape the system around its own workflows.

“Our collaboration with Akeneo has been a perfect journey,” said Karlsson. “The team has been incredibly open-minded when it comes to feedback and very fast to respond. That co-creation process meant we were able to build exactly what we needed rather than trying to force our processes into a rigid system.”

Print phase-out

One practical consequence of the change is the planned end of Hydroscand's printed catalogues. Centrally managed and continuously updated product information will allow the company to phase out catalogue production, cutting production time and costs while reducing environmental impact.

For industrial businesses, the move reflects a wider shift away from static technical documentation toward live digital records that can be updated across markets and channels at once. It also points to the growing importance of data quality in sectors where incorrect product selection can lead to delays, operational disruption, and added service costs.

Akeneo Chief Executive Officer Romain Fouache said industrial firms are under growing pressure to improve the quality and accessibility of product discovery for professional buyers.

“Industrial companies are under growing pressure to deliver the same level of product discovery and accuracy that customers expect in consumer eCommerce,” said Romain Fouache, Chief Executive Officer at Akeneo. “The way Hydroscand is using Akeneo Digital Showroom shows how powerful that transformation can be when complex product data is properly structured and managed. With Akeneo as a single source of product truth, Hydroscand can provide faster search, consistent information across channels and a much stronger experience for distributors, technicians and customers worldwide.”

Field access

Hydroscand is also developing a mobile application for technicians in the field. The app is intended to give staff access to accurate product information away from desks or branch locations, extending the same central data source to service work carried out on customer sites.

The company said its search tools will continue to evolve as it explores more guided ways for users to identify parts in a technically dense product range.

“In the future we expect search to feel more like working with a knowledgeable colleague,” said Karlsson. “AI will help us guide users more intelligently through complex product choices, making it even easier to find exactly what they need.”