Chemical distributor Brenntag announced a strategic partnership with Knowde, the digital customer experience platform for the ingredients, polymers, and chemical industry. The two companies report that this collaboration marks a significant step forward in utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to address the chemical industry’s uniquely complex Product Data Management challenges.

Christian Kohlpaintner, chief executive officer of Brenntag SE, commented, “The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence over the last few years have enabled massive shifts in end-to-end data value creation. We are excited to be partnering with Knowde, a leader in the application of AI to chemical distribution data, to utilize their approach for our Product Data Management – knowing that this will be a pioneering step in the chemical distribution industry.”

Brenntag and Knowde will jointly focus on transforming the management of “unstructured” product information into a structured, harmonized, and multi-dimensional dataset, housed in a product information management (PIM) solution. Knowde’s AI-powered Knowledge Engine will be used to standardize product information, including applications and attributes, to enhance the experience for Brenntag customers and supply partners. Through their partnership, the two companies will streamline the product onboarding and sales processes, accelerate the integration of new acquisitions, improve sustainability tracking, and facilitate more sophisticated customer interactions.

Ali Amin-Javaheri, CEO of Knowde, commented on the collaboration, “As the global market leader, Brenntag’s scale and complexity in the chemical distribution industry are second to none. Knowde’s software solutions will enable them to better leverage their data to fully capitalize on their comprehensive portfolio and unique global footprint. Companies like Brenntag that embrace digitalization will have a significant competitive advantage. We look forward to partnering with Brenntag’s team to accelerate their digital transformation and unlock innovative new opportunities for growth.”

Ewout van Jarwaarde, chief executive officer of Brenntag Essentials and Brenntag Management Board member responsible for the Digital and Data domain, added, “Artificial intelligence is fundamental to our digital and data transformation, as we continue to shape our industry and adapt to this new age in order to become easiest to do business with. Working alongside Knowde, we aim to modernize our product information, bringing greater knowledge and value to both our supply partners and customers, while taking another step towards driving sustainability in our industry.”

Brenntag reports that this partnership with Knowde is among several initiatives the company is undertaking to unlock value from its comprehensive set of data. The company is already utilizing AI across various areas, including sales, where it empowers the sales team to make informed decisions for sustained growth, customer service, and the optimization of demand and supply for AI-powered integrated business planning.

Learn more about Brenntag at www.brenntag.com. Additional information about Knowde is available at www.knowde.com.