Helly Hansen Boosts Product Innovation With The Power Of 3D

Centric Software is delighted to announce the release of a success story about its customer, Helly Hansen.

During the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the renowned Norwegian outdoor performance brand was able to save weeks’ worth of time during its product development process with the ability to quickly create and review 3D samples created within Centric Software’s Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). Centric Software provides the most innovative enterprise solutions to fashion, retail, footwear, outdoor, luxury, consumer goods and home décor companies to achieve strategic and operational digital transformation goals.

Founded in Norway in 1877, Helly Hansen is a leader in technical sailing and performance ski apparel, as well as premium workwear, with its outerwear, base layers, sportswear and footwear sold in more than 40 countries. The company has developed numerous first-to-market innovations, including the first supple waterproof fabrics more than 140 years ago, and today its ski uniforms are worn and trusted by more than 55,000 professionals around the world, including Olympians, National Teams and more than 200 ski resorts and mountain guiding operations.

As well as struggling with data management, visibility and version control across multiple software platforms, when the Helly Hansen group acquired MUSTO in 2018, integrating a new brand brought additional challenges.

“Before Centric PLM, one of our biggest challenges was a lack of accountability, with each department using different tools and platforms. We’re growing fast and, in order to develop innovative, high-quality products efficiently, we needed a clear overview of who was doing what, where and when,” says Ferdinand Diener, Process and Quality Manager at Helly Hansen.

Helly Hansen implemented Centric PLM in just six months while also merging with MUSTO. One of the biggest initial benefits for Helly Hansen was the ability to get both brands onto one platform very quickly.

“Because Centric PLM is so fast and easy to use, people are able to do a more thorough job, create more products and improve quality oversight,” says Diener. “We’re a quality-driven, innovation-focused brand, so this is critical.”

What’s more, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic with social distancing imposed and travel halted, it was difficult to review physical samples, with sample production severely delayed, or even cancelled altogether.

However, with innovative digital solutions provided by Centric PLM and 3D Connect technology giving expanded 3D functionality to PLM users, Helly Hansen has been able to adapt to recent market disruptions, improving the efficiency of its communications across different departments, particularly around sample production. There was the added benefit of becoming more sustainable in the process and reducing their carbon footprint due to a decreased need for physical samples, reduced shipping, material waste, etc.

“Centric’s 3D Connector now helps us with communication, and we can do things last minute that we couldn’t have done previously. For example, if a physical sample isn't available, or we don't want to wait weeks for a prototype to arrive, we can create a 3D version in a matter of hours,” says designer Mhairi Bannerman, who works within the ski and sailing team on Helly Hansen’s technical garments.

The power of Centric PLM has really come into its own during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Helly Hansen has had to keep its sample production going, despite crippling restrictions.

The solution: Centric 3D Connect. Mhairi Bannerman describes the knock-on effects of 2020’s marketplace disruptions, “At the start of the pandemic, when it came to sales meetings, nobody had any samples...We go through lots of prototype rounds, and if we have to miss one of those rounds due to lack of time, we usually have to cancel the style or postpone it until next season, as we can’t produce a garment without a certain number of prototypes.”

In order to improve the clarity of communication and leave less margin for error, the company’s next digital sales meeting will use 3D renderings created within Centric 3D Connect. “In comparison to a flat sketch, a 3D rendering is miles ahead, and it enables us to communicate much easier with vendors from the start,” says Mhairi, “It’s a much more efficient process, as you suddenly see exactly what the designer has in mind, not an artistic interpretation of an illustrated sketch. You see the ratios and sizes of different things and where the cut lines should be. So, not only are we able to see prototypes in 3D weeks before physical ones are available, but the final iteration is going to be a step up from what it would have been previously."

The recent disruption to supply chains has made consumers much more aware of where products are sourced from, and how they are made. Improving transparency between the business and the consumer has always been an important objective for Helly Hansen, with Centric PLM supporting their sustainability initiatives.

Mhairi comments that, “I think the Nordics is one of the key drivers for sustainability in general, whether that’s sustainability through use of digital or otherwise. I think nature is very ingrained in people here, and they are more conscious of preserving the natural environment. In the world at the moment, all brands should be striving to be more sustainable. At Helly Hansen, we are working towards being as sustainable as we possibly can.”

If Helly Hansen has learned anything in the past six months, it is that 3D technology is now a vital part of the sample process, and brands can no longer think of 3D as ‘an experiment on the side’. “3D needs to be growing within the company. And along with 3D comes the potential of digital showrooms and augmented reality,”says Mhairi. “3D has opened up a whole new world of possibilities, and it’s exciting times, despite the current situation we are seeing all over the world. It’s ignited something that has started a whole ball rolling, and I think there will be some good things to come from this challenging situation.