How the GS1 Connector revolutionizes global compliance, with Tommy Essenholm

Tommy Essenholm , Vaimo’s Head of Sales and Business Development, PIM, is a seasoned expert with over a decade of experience in the field. Tommy has been instrumental in driving Vaimo’s success, particularly in the development of their market-leading microservices framework, Connectmach.?

This innovative platform empowers Vaimo's clients to seamlessly integrate various platforms and databases, enabling a truly composable architecture. Under Tommy's leadership, Vaimo has solidified its position as a pioneer in delivering flexible and scalable PIM solutions, tailored to meet the demands of digital businesses.

Can you explain what GS1 is?

Tommy: GS1 is basically a global organization that sets the standards for how businesses communicate, especially when it comes to things like barcodes. You know those barcodes you see on almost everything? GS1 created the system behind them.?

Their standards make sure that products, services, and even information can be identified and shared consistently, no matter where you are in the world. It’s all about making trade more efficient, safe, and transparent.

And what do businesses have to do to comply with GS1?

Tommy: To comply with GS1 standards, businesses need to make sure they're using the right identification codes and barcodes for their products. This means registering for a GS1 Company Prefix, which allows them to create unique codes for their items.?

They also have to ensure that the information about their products—like descriptions, prices, and other details—is accurate and up-to-date. It’s about following the guidelines to ensure that all product data is consistent and can be easily read and understood across different systems and supply chains.

What inspired the creation of the Vaimo GS1 Connector?

Tommy: First, we noticed that several of our existing clients had to deal with GS1 compliance. During our discovery process, it became clear that this was a huge headache for them—really inefficient, time-consuming, and prone to errors. As a consultancy, when we see something like that, we see a real opportunity to step in and solve the problem.

The other piece of the puzzle is that we already had created a software layer designed to connect point-to-point systems. This meant we didn’t have to start from scratch, which made it easier and quicker for us to tackle the GS1 issue.

With the upcoming EU regulations requiring digital product passports, being GS1 compliant will help companies meet those standards. So, all of this together felt like the perfect opportunity for Vaimo to create a cost-effective and market-ready solution.

Can you walk us through how the GS1 Connector works?

Tommy: There are two main user stories we’re tackling here. The first one is for manufacturers. If you’re a manufacturer, your biggest challenge is syndicating data into GS1. You need to be compliant with GS1 standards, but the information you need is often scattered across your ERP system, PIM system, or other platforms. There's usually no clear template, making it hard to figure out what GS1 actually requires.

Our software makes this easy by clearly showing what GS1 requires based on the markets you’re operating in and the products you’re selling. Our GS1 Connector tells you exactly which attributes you need to fill out to be compliant. It then pulls the necessary data from multiple systems, combines it, and automatically sends it out. If GS1 updates its requirements, our software will update, too.

The second use case is the reverse. Let’s say you and I decide to start an online shop selling food and beverages. Normally, we’d have to manually input every product, find images, contact manufacturers for details, and so on. But with our software, we can just choose the brands and products we want to sell, pull all the necessary information directly from GS1, and have everything ready to go in no time.?

We can even add our own layer of customization on top of the existing data, and with AI, we can tweak descriptions to better target specific audiences.

In short, we’re talking about accelerating business setup to the point where you can be up and running in a day. It’s an incredibly efficient process, and I think that’s pretty exciting.?

What makes the GS1 Connector stand out from anything else in the market?

Tommy: The GS1 Connector really stands out because it simplifies how you manage GS1 compliance. Typically, you need to push information into various systems manually, like a PIM or ERP, and then these systems handle the last step of converting it into GS1 format. What makes our GS1 Connector unique is that it automates this process for you.

Here's how it works: instead of manually updating and managing multiple systems, our Connector uses small agents that fetch the necessary information—like prices from your ERP, images from your DAM, and product details from your PIM. It then compiles all this data and sends it to GS1 automatically.?

This means you don't have to change your existing processes or spend extra time preparing data for GS1. It all happens seamlessly in the background.

How does the GS1 Connector handle the complexity of GS1 standards across different markets?

Tommy: GS1 standards are based on a set of defined attributes—think of it as a big list of around 2,500 attributes. Every market uses a subset of these attributes, so while the exact requirements might vary, they all come from this core list. For example, what’s mandatory in Sweden might be slightly different in Denmark, but they’re both based on the same global set of attributes.

Our GS1 Connector handles this complexity by mapping out these attributes and markets in a structured way.?

Imagine an Excel sheet where one axis lists all the attributes and the other lists the different markets. We keep track of which attributes are needed for which markets and use this to configure the system. During setup, you specify which markets you're operating in and what products you have.?

The Connector then ensures you’re using the correct attributes for each market and product type.

We keep everything up-to-date, so if there are changes in any region, we monitor and adjust accordingly. We only maintain the markets where we have clients, so we add new regions as needed. This approach helps us manage the complexity without overwhelming you.

How has feedback from our clients been?

Tommy: As for initial feedback, it’s been very positive. Before implementation, some clients were skeptical, thinking it might be too good to be true. But so far, the Connector has met expectations, simplifying the process significantly.?

Clients appreciate that they don’t need to worry about the technical details or manage attributes manually. We’ve seen that it saves time and reduces the need for extra staff.

How is the GS1 built on Vaimo’s Connectmach microservices framework and what advantages does the framework offer?

Tommy: The GS1 Connector is built on Vaimo’s Connectmach microservices framework, which gives it a solid, flexible foundation. A Symphony application powers the backend, the frontend uses Node.js, and everything is hosted on Google Cloud.

One of the major advantages of the Connectmach framework is the speed at which we can develop and deploy new point-to-point connectors. We spent about 1,000 hours creating the base layer for the framework, which was used to build our first connector between Akeneo and commercetools. Now, with that foundational work done, we can create additional connectors much faster, reducing both time and risk.

The framework is highly efficient and scalable, allowing us to add new features or connectors without needing to start from scratch. This means we can quickly adapt to our clients' evolving needs and integrate with other platforms as required.

When it comes to configuration, the GS1 Connector offers a lot of flexibility. During the setup process, clients can choose whether to create separate channels for each market or combine them, depending on their specific needs. This flexibility makes it easier to manage compliance across different markets and organizational structures.

How does the GS1 Connector manage data?

Tommy: The Connector is capable of managing complex data structures, like those required by GS1 standards for specifying packaging levels—things like how many units are in a parcel, how many parcels are on a layer, and how many layers are on a pallet. We’ve integrated this capability into the framework, even though it presented some challenges, particularly in combining data from multiple systems.

As GS1 standards evolve, the framework is designed to stay up-to-date. We’ve built-in support for storing large amounts of information and a high-speed delivery network to ensure that data is fetched and processed efficiently. With these enhancements, future updates will be even faster and more seamless.

Did you face any challenges during the development?nbsp;

Tommy: One of the main decisions we had to make was about handling multiple markets. For example, how do you manage the channels if you're operating in 10 different markets? Should you create 10 separate channels, or is it better to combine the requirements into a single channel? We eventually decided to make this a selectable option within the software.?

This way, if you have different teams managing different countries, you can create separate completion streams for each. This flexibility allows you to be compliant in one market, like Sweden, while still working towards compliance in another, such as Denmark. The system lets you share information across markets, so not every market needs to gather all attributes independently.

Another challenge we encountered was related to the complex requirements for describing different packaging levels. GS1 standards require us to specify things like how many units are in a parcel, how many parcels are on a layer, and how many layers are on a pallet. This isn't standard PIM (Product Information Management) data, so we had to pull information from two different systems and combine it. This was new territory for us, and it posed a bit of a challenge, but we managed to integrate it successfully.

Lastly, we didn't initially have support for storing large volumes of information or for maintaining a high-speed delivery network to fetch that data efficiently. We've now built that capability into the framework, which means that future iterations will be even faster and more efficient.

As GS1 standards continue to evolve, we plan to keep the Connector updated and relevant by continuously monitoring any changes they make. This commitment is built into the cost of the subscription, so our clients won't need to worry about staying compliant.

What are the future plans for the GS1 Connector? Any extra features or enhancements on the way?

Tommy: Looking ahead, the digital product passport is going to be incredibly important for anyone doing business in the EU, and we're planning to integrate this feature directly into our software. Essentially, if you're compliant and want to generate a digital product passport, our system will enable you to do that seamlessly.?

By leveraging the Connectmach technology, we'll gather the necessary information, compile it into a digital product passport, and then send it back into the PIM (Product Information Management) system as an attachment or asset linked to the product. This will allow anyone to access and communicate this information easily—imagine it as a PDF that can be opened by anyone who needs it.

We recognize that companies are asking how they should approach this and what the costs might be to launch a project like this. Our response is straightforward: if you've already purchased GS1 compliance from us, the digital product passport will be included automatically. You won’t have to worry about additional costs or complications. This approach makes the path forward very clear and manageable for our clients.

What trends do you foresee in the product information management field?

Tommy: That's a great question. I think the key trend we're seeing in the PIM space is a shift towards sustainability and traceability, which is increasingly becoming a legal requirement. This is closely tied to the GS1 standards and the digital product passport initiative.?

As regulations tighten, businesses will be compelled to provide detailed information about their products—how they're packaged, where they come from, and their environmental impact. These are considerations that many companies didn't have to worry about before, but now they're becoming critical.

I believe it's a positive development that the EU is enforcing these standards because it drives the industry towards greater transparency and accountability. Companies will find it harder to cut corners, as missing or inaccurate information will lead to penalties. From an environmental standpoint, this push for transparency is essential. Without regulatory pressure, many companies might not take these steps on their own due to the associated costs.

However, we see an opportunity here. If we can offer a more cost-effective way to manage and understand the necessary information, we’re not just complying with new standards—we're helping build a stronger bridge between businesses and their sustainability goals.?

This trend is something we’re already seeing with our clients like Asket, a company that's very transparent about its supply chain and product origins. Their value proposition revolves around this traceability, and it's something that more consumers are beginning to prioritize. The trend is clear: transparency and sustainability are becoming non-negotiable in the marketplace.

Tommy was interviewed by Renetta Kjeldsen, Senior Content Writer at Vaimo.