AI ADOPTION AND COLLABORATION

AI hit the workplace like a tidal wave just a few years ago. It went from a futuristic tool to a viable product, ready for everyday use. Since then, it has been rapidly transforming the manufacturing sector by optimising production processes and enhancing operational efficiency. As a global ink manufacturer, Nazdar took a pro-active approach. The company has not just adopted AI tools, it has reshaped the culture, processes and strategy around them.

Nazdar is an international organisation, with ink manufacturing and distribution facilities around the world. Creating a positive, pro-active approach to guide company personnel into the AI Age was paramount. Adopting AI technology started with a mindset shift. Nazdar encouraged employees to see AI as a partner, not a threat. 

The company’s leadership teams moved quickly to form an AI Working Group which included every department of the company. This created exposure, early training and cross-functional learning that helped shape Nazdar’s use-case scenarios of emerging AI tools. Leadership moved to normalise the use of AI across departments, welcoming it as a part of company culture.

Data security is a non-negotiable in corporate AI adoption. Customer information, employee data and proprietary product formulations had to be protected with new cyber-security guard rails. Before initiating AI tools, Nazdar leadership assessed risks and developed governance with a company AI Policy. Implementing secure versions of AI platforms, new cyber-security measures, employee training and firewall safety has been instrumental. These implementations have allowed the organisation to avoid data breeches and financial scams. 

AI capabilities are a rapidly changing landscape that can be intimidating to navigate. Training managers and employees to gather intel – to stay ahead of new developments – has helped Nazdar stay nimble and adaptive to these fast-paced changes. 

“We moved into the practice of ‘thinking AI first’ – asking whether AI can assist before starting a task.”(Shaun Pan, CCO)

Nazdar’s earliest AI successes have come from practical, day-to-day applications that immediately lighten workloads and streamline decision making. Tools such as CoPilot, are already transforming personal productivity. CoPilot can handle meeting transcription, surfacing insights and quickly summarising large files across the organisation. These enhancements may seem small in isolation. However, together, they free up meaningful time and help employees to focus on higher-value work.

On the commercial side, AI has delivered on cutting tedious work in half. Sales teams are using AI-driven prospecting and qualification to identify new potential customers and streamline thousands of prospect accounts into focused manageable lists. This shift saves hours of manual research and accelerates new business generation. In addition, the marketing team has used generative tools to explore new creative possibilities and accelerate content development. These early wins demonstrate how AI can deliver tangible value long before large-scale transformation takes hold.

“We have recently settled on two main AI categories for driving our business – Personal Productivity and Game-Changing AI, which is really pushing the boundaries on our intellectual property technology.” (Greg Rupp, CIO)

AI is beginning to reshape Nazdar’s core operations in ways that go far beyond everyday productivity gains. In research and development (R&D), the internal team has been making the kinds of strides that show true promise when it comes to advancing the field. Nazdar chemists and technicians have been using AI to inform their laboratory information-management system. They have translated this into supporting and accelerating the development of new products. These aspects allow teams to work with greater speed, precision and efficiency. 

For customers and prospective partners, this means their product innovation pipeline moves faster and more intelligently. Additionally – on the commercial side – agentic AI is opening new possibilities for equipment quoting and configuration. As a result, fast, accurate, conversational quote generation can be provided, reducing bottlenecks and supporting a smoother customer experience. By integrating AI directly into Nazdar’s customer-experience processes, the company is able to bring more high-performing solutions to market quickly. Consequently, the organisation’s competitiveness is strengthened and the proposition valued.

Nazdar’s approach has continued to evolve with the AI Working Group maturing into a cross-functional AI Steering Committee. This leadership team brings together department heads from across the organisation to guide strategy, set priorities and ensure that AI adoption aligns with business goals. Its role is not only to shape the company’s long-term direction, but also to cultivate a culture where employees feel supported, informed and empowered to explore new technologies.

A core principle of this leadership philosophy is embracing experimentation. In a rapidly changing AI landscape, waiting for perfect clarity or guaranteed return on investment (ROI) can slow progress. Instead, teams are encouraged to test tools, run low-risk pilots and take learnings in stride. Fail fast if necessary. Early trials range from experimenting with Sora or building AI bots, to working AI into a fully functional mobile quoting app. These exercises demonstrate how small experiments can uncover meaningful value. 

This ‘try, learn, refine’ mindset builds internal confidence, accelerates adoption and supports a broader strategy. The focus is on staying current, gathering data, generating use-case ideas, failing fast, identifying high-value applications and leveraging strong partnerships.

Nazdar’s commitment to AI is rooted in a long-term vision of using technology as a true competitive advantage. By balancing innovation with responsibility and keeping people at the centre of every decision, the company is building a sustainable path forward. The message to the industry is clear – the future belongs to those who embrace AI with intention, strategy and collaboration.