Project interview Winkelmann Group
Sector: Automotive, Energy and Plant engineering, Steel distribution
Turnover: around € 500 million
Employees: 3.000
Optimization measures including:
- Market and supplier research, tenders, supplier days, negotiations
- Workshops with existing suppliers to identify collaborative realizable savings potentials
- Supplier supplementation in areas such as: cast parts, C-parts, personnel services
- Exemplary processed material groups: cast parts, contract production, investments, auditing, electricity, personnel services, car pool, purchasing structure optimization: Development of the purchasing organization including qualification of employees
Interview with Besim Jakob, authorized signatory and Head of strategic purchasing/ material management at Winkelmann Group GmbH + Co. KG and managing director of Winkelmann Metal Solutions GmbH.
Efe Duran Sarikaya
CEO
Director Automotive
Director Automotive
P +49 211 875 453 23
Besim Jakob: I myself was not skeptical at all. I had previously designed an extensive tender and then deliberately opted for Kloepfel Consulting. At first just because of their wealth of experience, but also because of their dynamic. You simply felt the active passion for purchasing.
Besim Jakob: At the beginning it was important that the Kloepfel team grows together with our team. Especially our team had to understand that they are not questioned. Rather, it was about seeing where you stand in order to get additional method and process competence. Another big challenge was the data consolidation of our very broad range of articles.
How far has the optimization project affected your supply security and the quality of your products?
Besim Jakob: There were no negative effects, product quality was maintained. For some products a second supplier was established which leads to an optimization in supply security and risk management. In addition, today we no longer order only the maximum, but rather the necessary amount. Some of the specifications were technically oversized before the purchasing optimization project.
Besim Jakob: Through these optimizations, we were able to partially counteract the enormous cost pressure and thus keep sales prices mostly at a stable level.
Besim Jakob: Not only every article was checked. Extended method and process competence was also imparted, for example, through negotiation training or through the fact that negotiations were always conducted jointly. We benefit sustainably from this. In this project it was important to me that my employees gain holistically. As a result, they have become more self-confident, have gained negotiating strength and are much more motivated. Nevertheless, we must keep our procurement markets in focus, recognize developments at an early stage and derive the right strategies and measures.
Besim Jakob: After the discovery phase: team-oriented, very analytical, goal-oriented.
Besim Jakob: I can fully confirm that. Today we still have a trustful cooperation with Kloepfel Consulting.
Besim Jakob: Some suppliers tried to drive a wedge between the Winkelmann team and the Kloepfel team. But in the end, we were all prepared. Especially since the Kloepfel team understood themselves as an extended Winkelmann team.
Besim Jakob: Clearly a very positive conclusion. In some areas we have achieved more, in others less than expected. All in all it was a clear precision landing. The employees were more pleased with their work and the appreciation of the management has increased. In addition to the employees, the organization has developed. I think, no matter how good you are, the markets and the environment are constantly changing, and you have to adapt or take part instead of simply resting on your laurels. This is the second purchase optimization project in eight years and you can see that the dynamic in purchasing should always be refreshed.
Thank you very much for the interview!
So that your company still steps on the gas in the future!
Feel free to contact us. Phone: +49 211 875 453 23 or Mail: info@kloepfel-consulting.com