supply chain strategies in the energy sector
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supply chain strategies in the energy sector
NOVEMBER 2019
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REC SOLAR
Josie Broome, Director of Procurement and Operational Excellence, discusses the success of her projects from an operational excellence standpoint
A
s a renowned leader in enabling complete commercial, public sector and utility-scale solar solutions, REC Solar has been in
operation for over 20 years and provided more 04
than 300MW of successful projects. Following its acquisition by Duke Energy in 2017, Josie Broome, Director of Procurement and Operational Excellence, believes there are a number of key factors that differentiate REC Solar from its rivals. “Duke Energy has brought stability and financial backing. There are several solar companies that don’t exist anymore, but Duke has been around for more than 100 years and I believe customers really appreciate the stability that Duke provides,” explains Broome. “The type of projects that we go after, in combination with the customers that we look for and how we implement those projects and source materials is very strategic and focused. We’re certainly not new to the game.”
NOVEMBER 2019
05
1997
Year founded
150
Approximate number of employees
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CLICK TO WATCH : ‘REC SOLAR CUSTOMER STORIES – CAL POLY SAN LUIS OBISPO’ 07 Having come from an oil-oriented
observe how hard the work actually
background, Broome’s family owns
was and how difficult it is to earn money
a number of oil reserves, with part
that way. I believe that because of these
of its portfolio situated in the largest
early experiences, I learned that being
oil reserves in Utah within the Uintah
out in the elements, physical labor
Basin. “Not only did I grow up with
through the seasons, and being away
my dad and all of his siblings as they
from family is a tough job. The appre-
made a living in the oil and gas indus-
ciation I have for the men and women
try, our family history is also rooted for
out there building America has shaped
generations back to one of the largest
my view, work ethic, and approach to
oil reserves in the US,” she explains.
projects while always keeping the field
“I watched my dad and his brothers
in the forefront of my mind.”
work on mainline pipelines, and when
Having overseen dozens of projects
I was 20, I decided to work with them.
during her time at REC Solar, Broome
From this experience, I was able to
is specifically proud of a recent project w w w.re c so la r. com
REC SOLAR
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NOVEMBER 2019
in Colorado which is the largest rooftop in the state. The project saw the installation of 17,000 panels spanning 19 acres and boasting a capacity of 6MW. “It was a real team effort. We worked together to secure the products that were used, found ways to reduce costs and achieve higher productivity in the field,” she explains. “Our typical approach is defined prior to the beginning of the project working directly with the field on setting up workstations, collaborating with them
“ Duke has been around for more than 100 years and I believe customers really appreciate the stability that Duke provides” — Josie Broome, Director of Procurement & Operational Excellence, REC Solar
on their instructions and providing guidance on the sequence of work. Every project is unique, it’s up to us to look for ways to maximize efficiency in material handling, loading the roof, and how the crews move throughout the site. We track all of that.” Broome has worked on a diverse and broad range of projects and her role is to influence them from a supply chain and operational excellence perspective. “In my previous roles at REC, I managed projects and project teams directly; from schools to hotels, cash to financed, on carports, roof, and the ground. The variety, volumes and regions are vast, however there are still opportunities to learn and improve.” w w w.re c so la r. com
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With technology becoming influ-
it into a sequel database, and mix it
ential to the way businesses conduct
into Microsoft Power BI to display,
operations worldwide, REC Solar
dig and analyze,” says Broome. “On
has implemented platforms such as
the supply chain side, we create our
Procore, the world’s leading construc-
commodity position frequently and
tion management software, as well
look at supply and demand by utilising
as drawing on the help of Salesforce
Salesforce for pipeline and Procore
for its CRM and JDE Oracle for its
for active projects. From the opera-
financials. “We leverage all the data
tional excellence perspective, we’re
from those platforms and combine
using the field data that’s coming
E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE
Josie Broome As part of her role as Director of Procurement & Operational Excellence, Broome provides dual strategic direction for the innovation, development and implementation of business applications, intelligence, processes, and other business initiatives to support culture growth around supply chain and continuous improvement. Having begun her career in the architecture, planning and engineering industry in 2003 as a Planner at RRM Design Group, she managed various development projects that ranged in complexity and size. In 2010, Broome joined REC Solar’s project management team and went on to lead the company’s mid-market and Hawaii Business Units. Moving into the procurement space in 2017, it has allowed Broome to leverage her considerable experience leading teams through technology.
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NOVEMBER 2019
“ From the operational excellence perspective, we’re using the field data that’s coming from Procore to measure productivity and how and where we need to help the teams improve in the field” — Josie Broome, Director of Procurement & Operational Excellence, REC Solar from Procore to measure productivity and how and where we need to help the teams improve in the field.” However, Broome understands that new technology such as Big Data should be treated with caution to circumvent the risk of overreliance. “Too much data can be really overwhelming, and you have to dig deep to figure out what the data is trying to tell you,” she warns. “For us, it’s about being very specific on what data we’re looking for and what we want the field to collect w w w.re c so la r. com
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15 for productivity. We’re very specific
buys together,” she explains. “The
on what we want to achieve with cost
other strategy is the process of buying
reduction, and then we leverage that
different types of equipment and going
data to drive our supply chain forward.”
direct, they’re in the large-scale utility
With the industry constantly
space where we are a distributed
changing, Broome believes that by
generation. We have high transac-
working closely with Duke Energy’s
tional volume and communicate with
supply chain team, REC Solar can
our vendors weekly — it’s important
easily adapt to the sector’s changing
everyone’s on the same page.”
demands and has subsequently
Broome points to the importance
established two firm supply chain
of communication with other supply
strategies. “When there are any
chain professionals in the space, and
changes, both teams come together
key partners as a crucial component
to make decisions on the best ways to
for success. “We recently attended
leverage our volumes and make bulk
the annual Solar Power International w w w.re c so la r. com
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tradeshow in Utah. I believe that talking to other like-minded individuals in the industry is so important because it allows you to get a good idea of what the latest trends in the sector are as well as forming new connections and building lasting partnerships. It’s important to acknowledge our partners share our overall goals and help to ensure that we keep costs low for the customer, while maintaining quality on time.� Pointing to her upbringing, Broome dwells on how her early life and career NOVEMBER 2019
“ I’m inspired by innovation and visionaries, and I now understand that I need to be the leader that I want to see” — Josie Broome, Director of Procurement & Operational Excellence, REC Solar
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has shaped the influence she wants
is going to be based on how fast we
to have on others in the field. “I’m
can continue to adapt to the market
inspired by innovation and visionaries,
changes,” she notes. “Old ways of
and I now understand that I need to be
thinking, doing and being are not
the leader that I want to see. I’ve been
going to survive. We must stay ahead,
fortunate enough to have had some
act quickly and remain agile. I believe
pretty incredible leadership mentors
that being, nimble, performing quality
on my journey, and overcoming the
work and continuing to drive improve-
challenge of leadership is done by
ments will ensure we remain a leader
ensuring I’m the leader that I would
in the space.”
like and need.” With the future in mind, Broome has a clear vision of what she hopes her firm can achieve over the next few years. “Our future success w w w.re c so la r. com
REC Solar 3450 Broad Street Suite 105 San Luis Obispo CA 93401 T +844 732 7652 www.recsolar.com