Changing customer needs has lead Deknudt Frames to introduce the first Print & Frame solution. This innovative solution built by our CD-Invest team allowed Deknudt to keep growing their business even in a time of crisis.
Business challenge
Established in 1923, Deknudt Frames is a Belgian manufacturer specializing in the design, production and distribution of picture frames and wall decorations. A family-run business with an international team of 100 employees, they export to over 20 countries, delivers to 5,000 retail customers, and have an annual profit of 8 million EUR. With a manufacturing plant in Slovakia and several business partners in the Far East, Deknudt Frames is a truly global company. With e-commerce growing in importance, especially with recent lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they looked to build a solution to increase customer engagement and respond to demand.
Innovation
Working with IBM Business Partner CD-Invest and IBM Champion for Power Systems Koen Decorte, Deknudt Frames built a new e-commerce application that allows customers to upload pictures and frame them online, letting them see the final product before making a purchase. The framed picture can then be shipped right to the customer’s door without them having to leave the safety of their home. Deknudt Frames is currently the only business in their market with this offering and capability.
The solution was built entirely on IBM i and Power Systems using open source technologies and languages. The backend business logic was written in RPG and SQL. The frontend UI was created using WordPress and PHP. The image processing capability was built using Python and printing was done with Ghostscript, along with Node.js to integrate with other external web services. This solution built using open source runs side-by-side with the company’s original source code on IBM i.
The new e-commerce application has allowed Deknudt Frames to reach a larger market, even during the pandemic, and evolve into a more B2C company instead of just B2B. This allows them to better respond to fast changing customer needs and a market where digitalization and e-commerce are becoming more important each and every day. The company has also streamlined their processes even further, allowing for faster order processing, significant improvements in payment processing and more accurate inventory tracking. Additionally, Deknudt Frames integrated their solution with larger marketplaces such as Amazon and Bol, which will help them reach an even larger customer audience and grow their business at a faster rate.
