Team spirit instead of skepticism
Aschaffenburg/Düsseldorf, 24.04.2019 – The automotive supplier Waldaschaff, based in Aschaffenburg in Lower Franconia, has recently optimized its purchasing. Purchasing manager Ludovic Montécot obtained support from the purchasing consultancy Kloepfel Consulting for the profound six-month project.
Montécot explains: “We optimized our purchasing activities together with a purchasing consultancy because we were experiencing too many personnel bottlenecks on our own. It was important to me that the consultants were team players and that they settle their accounts according to success and not according to daily rates.
After an inventory, Waldaschaff Automotive has put many series materials out to tender throughout Europe and has searched for new suppliers. In addition, prices and conditions in the areas of electricity, mobile telephony, temporary employment and logistics were optimized through negotiations and tenders.
Training on the Project
A positive side-effect is that the company’s purchasers also received “training on the project” as a result of the project. With the support of the consultants, they were able to expand their skills and knowledge in preparing and conducting negotiations. “This was only possible because our employees and the consultants worked closely together as a team. So we always knew exactly what was happening when and why,” says Montécot.
Suppliers pull together
During supplier days, the company and the consultants informed existing and potential new suppliers about the products and corporate goals of Waldaschaff Automotive. Project manager Shapur Kaikhosrowi, manager at the purchasing consultancy Kloepfel Consulting, states: “The better the suppliers understand the customer, the better the cooperation will work”.
Team spirit instead of skepticism
Montécot reports: “There was initial skepticism among colleagues. However, when the consultants achieved great success after only a short time, this quickly subsided. There was also some concern that the external consultants might do a better job than themselves. But through a lot of communication, team spirit and the professionalism of the consultants, that changed as well.”
About Waldaschaff Automotive
Waldaschaff Automotive is a leading company in its field in the German and European automotive supply industry with an increasing focus on the world market. The company’s customers include Major German, European and international car and commercial vehicle manufacturers. Its largest customers are Audi, BMW, Porsche, Scania and Ford. Examples of important products are crash management systems, battery boxes, structural components and tailgate structures.
Since 2015, the company has been part of the Chinese Lingyun Industrial Group Co. Ltd., Zhuozhou, which is one of the leading suppliers to the Chinese automotive industry. www.wa-de.com
About Kloepfel Consulting
Kloepfel Consulting was founded in 2007 and with more than 700 clients it is one of the largest and fastest growing consulting companies for purchasing optimization in the German-speaking medium-sized business sector. To date, more than 53.6 billion euros in purchasing volumes have been processed and around 61,500 suppliers from over 132 countries have been qualified and negotiated on a 100% success basis. www.kloepfel-consulting.com