Morse Automotive says it now can generate multiple friction catalogs in a variety of formats from a single relational database, thanks to installing the e-Publisher catalog management system from Vertical Development Inc. What’s more, Morse says it also can export files meeting the latest ACES (AAIA Catalog Enhanced Standard) requirements.
Based in Chicago, Morse is a privately held company and a supplier of aftermarket disc brake pads and brake shoes. In addition to the Morse name, the company markets its products under a variety of private label friction brands sold through retailers and wholesale distributors nationwide.
Morse previously managed a separate database for each of its unique customer catalogs, which it says made catalog preparation and application updates time-consuming and redundant in many cases. Realizing that an automated system could help the company streamline the process, Morse contacted various catalog management suppliers for assistance.
According to Tim Bruin, director of sales and marketing for Morse Automotive, “We selected VDI because of their experience developing other automotive catalog systems as well as their knowledge and involvement within the industry. VDI also could provide us with a broad range of services beyond a catalog database system.”
Using its e-Publisher software, VDI input Morse’s streamlined files of brake shoe and disc brake pad applications and part numbers, consolidating and linking the data to create a single relational database covering thousands of vehicle applications. Installing e-Publisher has enabled Morse to integrate various catalog formats into a single system, ultimately improving catalog turnaround time and data accuracy. Morse now is using the system to produce their 2006 friction catalogs mapped to the latest ACES standards.
