WELEDA

The Czech representation of the Swiss company Weleda needed significant saving measures during the crisis. They chose ABRA Gen information system for ally to ensure the integration of records in one place, automatization of repeatedly performed work tasks and minimizing of the error rate in business processes. The all-in-one ABRA Gen solution has supported a steady growth in the company, while maintain the number of employees.

Michal Weirich

Czech and Slovak Representation Director, Weleda

“ABRA Gen standardized Weleda’s sales processes It positively fulfils our requirements for a complex, transparent, simple and intuitive system.”

NATURAL COSMETICS AND MEDICINES OF THE WELEDA BRAND PROVIDE BY THE ORGANISM WITH INCENTIVES FOR ITS OWN HEALING POWER
Weleda produces several thousand types of medicines, over 100 products of natural cosmetics and food supplements and it currently employs almost 2000 people full time.

SWITZERLAND, 1921
In 1921 a Dutch physician, an Austrian philosopher, and a Munich chemist and pharmacist have established a facility in Switzerland dedicated to the research and study of anthroposophic medicine and the hospital and pharmaceutical laboratory, which has gradually developed into a global healthcare company.

PRODUCTS
All Weleda products are made from fullynatural raw materials, always without any artificial conservants. Weleda uses 78%  of vegetable raw materials grown in organic farming or obtained from ekologically controlled sources in free nature. Weleda grows its own medicinal plants in its own gardens. It operates its own facility forextraction of plant extracts.

COMPANY PHILOSOPHY
In Weleda, the number one principle is maintaining of the highest quality standards and sustainable use of natural resources. Michal Weirich, the director of the Czech and Slovak representation, expresses his attitude to the company: ”I appreciate three facts on Weleda:

• the fact it is a company with character — over 90 years of its existence, it has never produced anything else than natural medicines, cosmetics, and dietetics;
• the fact it is a company that strives for a true partnership with nature — it learns from nature, it cooperates with nature and helps it, and finally,
• the fact it is a company dedicated to health  —  with its products and attitude it doesn’t fight against diseases, but it strenghtens human organism, so that it has enough strengths to deal with diseases itself.“

CZECH AND SLOVAK WELEDA
Already 5 years after the company was founded in Switzerland, in 1926, the group of pharmacists founded a network of pharmacies under the Weleda brand. However, after the Second World War, the prosperous enterprise was nationalized and its original philosophical values disappeared during the Communism era. In 1991 a group of 6 descendants of the original founders attempted to restore them. They restored Weleda’s representation, even though it was unofficial, spelling it with “V” in the name, and they have begun to produce pharmaceuticals according to old recipes again. The representation has gained an official form in 1994 when Swiss Weleda AG acquired a 99% share of the company.

In the year 2000, the Czech representation of Weleda opened a regional branch in Slovakia in Bratislava.

TOOL FOR SAVINGS AND DEVELOPMENT
In 2009, the company faced financial problems, which they handled thanks to significant saving measures. The main tool for the savings is the newly implemented ABRA Gen information system, which has significantly influenced company processes.

I has integratet all records in one place, it has helped to automatize repeatedly performed work tasks, minimize error rate in business processes, connect the e‑shop itself with the data in the internally saved database online, and effectively use warehouse inventory management.

Integrated electronic exchange of data (EDI) in ABRA Gen has facilitated communication with the business partners who required EDI.

Michal Weirich

Czech and Slovak Representation Director, Weleda

“ABRA allows as substitutability in our sales processes. Now in case of a dealer’s absence, anyone can issue the sale documents.”

„ABRA G3 was a step in the right direction for us”, Michal Weirich evaluates the system.

Weleda plans further development and use of modern technologies: it has already been testing ABRA BI, an application of the Business Intelligence type, which will provide the company managementu with all important business information in an online mode.

WELEDA TODAY
The Czech and Slovak representation of Weleda relies on a stable wholesale and retail sales network.

Recently, it carefully chooses customers from among the large chains, but it still wants to offer the best quality of products, hand in hand with personal approach and consultancy.