The Challenge

Buhlmann Group has been active in steel trading for more than 75 years — B2B, in 23 countries, together with the Lisega Group (pipe supports). Not a tech startup, but a traditional, security-sensitive industrial company.

That is exactly where the AI debate is often dominated by unverified forecasts. At the same time, standards and specifications are scattered across both company groups. The job: bring employees into AI, strengthen competitiveness over the long term — and deliver measurable results, not slide decks.

Why meinGPT

Buhlmann needed more than another chat UI. It needed a full platform: image generation, an integrated Academy, and a controlled rollout. The introduction ran in two phases with training and a champion program. Change communication via newsletter kept the workforce in the loop. Connecting standards and specifications is planned so chat answers can draw directly on company knowledge.

Solution

Instead of shadow tools and one-off access, both groups got a shared, governed entry point. The Academy and champion program made sure usage was not left to chance. The platform covers typical knowledge and document work — and lays the ground for later data connections to standards and specifications.

Results

• Deployment across two company groups (Buhlmann & Lisega) in 23 countries
• Controlled rollout in two phases — with training and a champion program
• Image generation and an integrated Academy instead of a plain chatbot
• Planned: connecting standards and specifications into the chat

Value shows up where employees use the platform day to day — carried by the Academy and the champion program, not by tool sprawl.

Conclusion

In the mid-market, the loudest AI forecast matters less than what employees actually use. Buhlmann Group shows how a traditional company introduces AI step by step, measures it, and brings it into daily work — with a platform instead of tool sprawl.