Centric Software has announced the success of its collaboration with consumer housewares manufacturer Zak! Designs, highlighting how the implementation of Centric Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) has transformed the company’s product development operations while supporting 200 percent revenue growth without increasing product development headcount. Zak! Designs, headquartered in Washington, USA, is a leading manufacturer of licensed drinkware, tableware and other branded housewares sold through major retail chains and e-commerce platforms worldwide. As its business expanded and licensing programs became increasingly complex, the company sought a unified digital platform capable of improving visibility across product development while simplifying collaboration between internal teams.
Prior to adopting Centric PLM, product information was spread across multiple systems, making it difficult to track project status, identify bottlenecks or obtain accurate information quickly. The absence of a centralized product repository also affected licensing workflows and slowed the introduction of new products.
By implementing Centric PLM and integrating it with its enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, Zak! Designs established a single source of product information that provides real-time visibility into ongoing projects, approvals and development milestones. The platform has enabled teams to standardize workflows, improve collaboration and monitor potential delays before they affect delivery schedules.
One of the most significant operational improvements has been the modernization of the company’s item creation process. An earlier numbering system that required extensive manual effort has been replaced with an automated workflow, reducing item setup time from a lengthy manual process to less than one minute. The improvement has also eliminated a substantial amount of repetitive administrative work while increasing overall productivity.
The implementation has further enhanced product data management by replacing basic stock-keeping unit records with detailed bills of materials containing comprehensive component-level information. This has strengthened product traceability and improved development accuracy without requiring additional staffing resources.
According to Raymond Shill, Vice President of Information Technology at Zak! Designs, the organization now benefits from complete visibility into product development activities, allowing teams to identify challenges early and continuously improve processes as the business expands.
Centric Software said the deployment demonstrates how digital product lifecycle management can help manufacturers scale operations, improve efficiency and respond more effectively to evolving retail and licensing requirements. The company noted that its AI-enabled enterprise solutions are designed to support organizations across multiple industries by connecting planning, design, sourcing, compliance, manufacturing and commercialization activities within a unified digital environment, enabling faster product development and long-term operational growth.
Centric Software’s solutions are recognized for their fast deployment, high user engagement, and measurable business impact. Trusted by leading companies worldwide, Centric consistently ranks at the top of industry reports for innovation, customer satisfaction, and return on investment.
