Group Director of Direct Spend at Babcock International Group, on the company’s thorough approach to supply chain and procurement in a dynamic and intricate industry.
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TRANSFORMING PROCUREMENT AND SUPPLY CHAIN AT BABCOCK
INTERNATIONAL GROUP
Nick Checketts, Group Director of Direct Spend at Babcock International Group, on the company’s thorough approach to supply chain and procurement in a dynamic and intricate industry.
GLOBAL DEFENCE COMPANY BABCOCK
INTERNATIONAL GROUP (BABCOCK)
PRIORITISES PROVIDING CUSTOMERS WITH AFFORDABILITY, AVAILABILITY AND CAPABILITY IN A COMPLEX AND EVER-CHANGING
MARKET.
he company specialises in marine, land, aviation and nuclear verticals, and is consistently developing within these areas to bring forth new innovations in the defence sector.
Today we welcome Nick Checketts, Group Director of Direct Spend at Babcock, to discuss how the company has built a supply chain strategy that centres on strategic relationships and anticipates risk.
Launching our conversation, Nick explains how the company’s procurement and supply chain approach has transformed in recent years.
“I sit on our procurement and supply chain leadership team,” says Nick. “We went through a transformation within this function around three years ago, as part of a global transformation programme. We’re
still running that programme now, but one of the first things we did was identify a number of functions – one of which being procurement and supply chain – that we were going to focus on turning into a centrally led function.
“This move to being centrally led means that we’re able to standardise processes while retaining an embedded and organised procurement supply chain within the business that can effectively deliver against the differentiated needs. We’re working on getting more alignment on how we do that, driving the efficiency and effectiveness of the function as a result.
“Every sector of the company is chasing new growth opportunities and looking at future capabilities
of the business. When you’ve got a category management organisation, you have a strong alignment with that growth, because you have to be looking at the longterm prospects of any business decision.”
This is particularly resonant in the defence and aerospace industry,
where project lead times are measured in years, rather than weeks or months. For Nick, that means that an attentive approach to procurement is imperative.
“You need your procurement strategies to align to a years-long timeline,” explains Nick. “This means not only looking ahead to future
development capabilities, but also the risks that could potentially play a role. Supply chain strategy needs to be factored into the future of an organisation because it can play a huge role in the business’s future success.”
So, how does Babcock build such long-term supply chain strategies? For Nick, it’s all about taking a holistic approach.
“We’re taking a holistic view of the function to gain a better understanding of what we’re doing well, and what we need to improve on,” says Nick. “We need to know what our development opportunities
are, how we can become more effective and how we can differentiate ourselves within the market.
“For example, we’ve been looking at how we approach risk management. Before, we were looking at what was happening around us, trying to understand the risks and deal with them as they arise. We’re now trying to be far more anticipatory so we can proactively build up an awareness of the risks which are out there, what might be coming and how we can deal with these developments in the future.”
But developing that awareness can be challenging in a sprawling, global industry such as the defence sector.
“As a business, our warehousing logistics strategy needs to span lots of different things on lots of different sites,” says Nick. “We’re trying to look at our demand planning on a holistic basis to see what areas we need to invest in, and we’re evaluating the tools and the technology around us to see what can help us reach our goals.
“There’s a lot of technological developments in the procurement and supply chain area at the moment, and everyone’s focused on the quickly emerging, trending tools. While we do see the value in investing in new technologies –particularly automation – we need to
make sure we’re effectively utilising our existing tech stack.
“If we’re not getting value from the tech in place, that’s when we make the decision to invest in or develop new technologies in the area and remove anything that’s not making sense. We’re taking a pragmatic view – we have to be realistic about what we’re implementing, because there’s no point in spending money on technology that doesn’t fit within our strategy.
“We’ve done a lot of work reshaping our functional strategy, and our model for this has been focused on helping our engagement with the business
WE ARE KAEFER.
COUNT ON US FOR TECHNICAL INDUSTRIAL SERVICES.
KAEFER has long been a leader in industrial services, offering crucial support to the energy, industrial, nuclear and defence sectors worldwide. KAEFER works on more than 5,500 job sites internationally, with around 32,000 employees.
With unrivalled experience and expertise, our teams provide trusted partnerships and tailored support to execute even the most challenging and complex projects for our clients.
We are your reliable, efficient and technical strategic partner.
WHAT WE DO
KAEFER work on projects that count. Our aim is to help our clients optimise their operations, maintaining safe, efficient, and reliable facilities by offering a range of services, including Access Solutions, Insulation, Surface Protection, HVAC Fabrication, Electrical Control & Instrumentation (EC&I), and NDT & Testing. You can count on our industrial services expertise across our core services.
Our experienced technicians are highly trained and equipped with the latest tools and technology to tackle even the most challenging projects. Whether it’s working in hazardous environments, or delivering complex projects on tight schedules, our team has the skills and expertise to get the job done to the highest standards.
Our unwavering commitment to safety and quality is central to our operations.
Learn about KAEFER’s strategic role in the Nuclear and Defence markets.
www.kaeferltd.co.uk
WE ARE RELIABLE, EFFICIENT AND TECHNICAL
We add value to our client’s projects through LEAN management, digitalisation, and our innovative teams.
Implemented throughout the whole KAEFER Group, LEAN Management leverages synergies and simplifies working processes for employees by creating a common understanding and mindset. LEAN plays a vital role in strengthening the culture of operational excellence through establishing routines for continuous improvement.
LEAN principles are implemented at every stage of a project to ensure thorough planning, efficient execution and post-completion analysis.
LEAN is working, not just for our clients, but for us as well. For 15 years, KAEFER UK & Ireland has been a trusted provider of industrial services at the Devonport Royal Dockyard in Plymouth, working closely with Babcock International. The team’s commitment to customer service, value and delivery has meant they have been awarded the Gold Performance Award as part of the 21st Century Supply Chain’s (SC21) Operational Excellence Programme.
We understand that efficient processes are the foundation of successful projects.
“KAEFER operates at our best when we can collaborate in partnership with our customers. Our biggest strength is our people, who are dedicated to delivering the highest service levels in our industry. For example, with Babcock International, we have a long-term relationship and have built a high level of trust to deliver the services they need every day. This can be reactive to support the changing demands of the dockyards and Ministry of Defence. But more importantly, we spend significant time together, planning ahead and building collaborative strategies that not only meet resource demands and project milestones, but also focus on continuous improvement and innovation programs that drive operational delivery and increase value.” – Chris Foulkes, CEO, KAEFER UK & Ireland
THE FUTURE
We have ambitious plans for growth at KAEFER which will further strengthen our position as a market leader in delivery of industrial services. It is likely that instability in global economics and politics will continue for some time, which means it vitally important that we play to our strengths, keep developing our people, while remaining innovative and agile. We are committed to working ever more closely with our customers and strategic partners such as Babcock to improve our services levels, helping build a safe and secure future.
population. There’s a lot more we can do, so we need to continue on that path of enhancing the communication to the rest of the business in order to signal what’s out there.”
A key aspect of this reshaped strategy has involved placing partnerships at the centre of the supply chain and procurement function. Here, Nick highlights some of the indispensable relationships that Babcock has built – both established and new.
“At the centre of the wheelhouse of supply chain procurement is partnerships,” says Nick. “Our partnerships with our key suppliers are absolutely vital to what we do as a business. For instance, KAEFER is embedded within our sites, helping us undertake crucial industrial services. On any given day, we have several hundred people from KAEFER on our sites conducting specialised activities that are pivotal to our operations.
“These are the types of partnerships that we prioritise – it’s instrumental that they’re involved upfront in the demand planning side of things to understand the cycles of the business and what the customer needs and will need. If we’re collaborative on this side of things, our partners can plan their workforce strategy to ensure that they’re prepared for quick changes in the industry.
Taking action for a safer tomorrow
Our responsible approach to sustainability
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We’ve always tried to do the right thing, but we know that when it comes to sustainability, our job is never done. That’s why we’re taking action by reducing our own impacts on people and the planet, whilst enabling our customers to make more responsible choices, purchase decisions and meet their own sustainability goals.
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“AT THE CENTRE OF THE WHEELHOUSE OF SUPPLY CHAIN PROCUREMENT IS PARTNERSHIPS. OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR KEY SUPPLIERS ARE ABSOLUTELY VITAL TO WHAT WE DO AS A BUSINESS”
Nick Checketts, Group Director of Direct Spend
“Let’s take ARCO as an example. ARCO is a UK provider of personal protective equipment (PPE). With thousands of people on our sites, our primary responsibility is to keep them safe and PPE is the first defence that we have in this regard. It’s absolutely critical that our PPE supplier is aligned with us and understands the requirements of the business, because having the right levels of equipment ensures that our employees are able to work safer and more efficiently.”
Babcock has also made sure to prioritise new and emerging relationships with suppliers.
“Shield Services is one of our newer relationships,” says Nick. “They came on board providing deck insulation services for our Type 31 programme. As an important supplier to that programme, it’s key to foster the right relationship with them to make sure that the technical requirements are understood and consumer demand is understood, so that when they come on-site they can be in sync with the programme and everything can progress as smoothly as possible.
“R&M Electrical is a different kind of relationship for us. They’re a smaller business, but one that has grown rapidly with us to provide largely electrical consumables.
We really grabbed hold of that relationship to mutually explore growth opportunities. They’ve been in conversation with us about where our demands are, and recently opened a facility in Plymouth to support the Devonport Dockyard. For us, it’s very important to who we are as a company to continue to work with small British businesses.”
But while Nick credits partner collaboration as a key aspect of Babcock’s continued success, he also highlights how the relationships the company has formed with its customers are equally important for its growth.
“The collaboration we foster directly with the customers has been very exciting for us as a business,” says Nick. “We’ve had growing relationships with our counterparts in procurement and supply chain functions. Our customers want to actively work with us to build a strategic procurement ecosystem that considers how we can make things more efficient and effective in such a highly restricted industry. When you get big players together and you start collaborating, you can uncover real areas of transformation.”
However, working in such a complex and highly regulated industry requires a thorough understanding of risk in order to foster this level of transformation.
“We take a very proactive view of risk in our supply chain,” says Nick. “We’ve invested in tools that can anticipate risk, giving us as early a warning as possible, through our first tier mapping into tiers two, three and four of our supply chain.
“We’re now starting to generate how the relationship lies between the tiers in the supply chain, on both a geographical and transactional basis. If a global event happens, we can immediately get an impact analysis to see the role it will play across our supply chain and map out a solution alongside our suppliers.”
But at Babcock, being futurefocused is about more than just risk aversion. Babcock has prioritised developing a comprehensive approach to sustainability within the supply chain, with a specific focus on fostering local relationships and giving back to the community.
“We look at sustainability through a viewpoint of environmental, social and governance (ESG),” says Nick. “There’s growing regulatory requirements around environmental considerations that we’re actively taking steps to map and understand how we can then affect, impact and drive those down.
“In terms of social sustainability, we recently joined an entity called
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Made in Britain, which gives us access to a network of small medium enterprises (SMEs) across the country, making it easier to work with local suppliers and foster new relationships.
“We also encourage a lot of work in the community. Babcock offers an extra day of annual leave for employees to undertake charity or volunteering activities. Last year, my team did some maintenance work on an inshore lifeboat station in Gloucestershire. It was a great team-building activity with a strong purpose at the centre of it.”
Babcock is also working on reducing its carbon consumption, Nick reveals.
“My team led the Devonport site project to switch over from white diesel usage to Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel,” says Nick. “Due to the nature of the site, we rely on many mobile power units, which have typically been diesel generators.
“Last year, we were able to switch over to far more sustainable fuel, meaning that we’re nowhere near as big a consumer of carbon as we used to be. We’re now rolling that out across our sites in the UK, and
we’re very excited about the future sustainable impact this will have.
“I think things like this are great, because in traditional procurement the priority was making things as cheap as possible. This is about delivering the right outcome for the business.”
And that dedication to the business is paying off, with Nick predicting a period of fast growth for Babcock.
“I believe that in our next few years, we’re going to see significant growth and development within the company,” says Nick. “There has been a period of transformation over the last few years, and since then the
company has been growing strongly in terms of capability, performance and relationships.
“The work we do focuses on the long term, so we’re constantly developing to ensure that we’ve got a robust supply chain network in place. We’re well-positioned to grow globally as we transition into a balance of support services, engineering and product development. We’re designing and delivering new products in partnership with big original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) or in our own right as an advanced manufacturer. It’s a very exciting time of development for Babcock.”
Learn more about Babcock here.
ADDED VALUE
A FINGER ON THE PULSE
“I love listening to podcasts, because I think they’re a valuable tool to keep yourself abreast of the latest thinking,” says Nick.
“I’ve been listening to the Art of Procurement podcast a lot recently, which I think is really useful for understanding the ways different leaders are approaching procurement in their industry.
“More personally, I’ve always had an interest in politics and world events, and I love to listen to podcasts focused on this global angle. It also helps me within my role, because when you’re projecting forward you must have your finger on the pulse of world events. Listening to podcasts that take a deep dive into major global shifts and trends helps me challenge my team and see how we would react to new trends and potential risks. If we’re not preparing for how the world may be changing, then we’re not doing our jobs.”
EVENTS
Nick is excited for the upcoming Defence Procurement Research Technology (DPRT) Expo in March 2025.
“This is a significant event for us, as well as our suppliers,” says Nick. “It’s a great environment for the industry to gather and share ideas, explore best practices and gain a stronger understanding of what’s going on. We’re also lucky to have speaking slots there as well.
“We’re also looking ahead to DSEI next summer, which is a massive event for us as well as our significant suppliers. It’s an incredible event for connecting defence leaders on a global scale, and it takes place every other year in London. We have a huge stand there, and a big presence. It’s a big priority for us.”
Connect with Nick
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Toyota and BMW champions carbon
Toyota and BMW are aiming fuel cell passenger cars to create
BMW partnership carbon neutrality
aiming to expand the line-up of create a hydrogen society.
Photo:
Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) and the BMW Group (BMW) have signed an agreement to strengthen collaboration in the hydrogen sector, with aims to create a hydrogen society and achieve overall carbon neutrality.
and an collaboration achieve he companies will work together on the development of fuel cell systems and the improvement of infrastructure.
The two industry leaders signed an agreement in December 2011 to establish a mid-to-longterm cooperative relationship in environmental technology.
They have jointly advanced the development of environmental technologies – including fuel cells and sports cars – for more than a decade.
With a combined vision of realising a hydrogen society, they will continue to accelerate technological innovation in fuel cell systems, providing customers
“In our long history of partnership, we have confirmed that BMW and Toyota share the same passion for cars and belief in ‘technology openness’ and a ‘multipathway’ approach to carbon neutrality”
Koji Sato, Toyota President
with a wider range of options by equipping more cars with this technology.
Toyota and BMW are cooperating on the development of a thirdgeneration fuel cell system which will be installed in both companies’ models, offering customers a broad range of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). As a first step, BMW plans to launch its first mass-produced FCEV in 2028.
Both companies will also work to create synergies through collaboration in development and procurement, as well as drive down costs by amalgamating powertrain units to expand commercial and passenger vehicle demand, making FCEVs more accessible and enabling sustainability.
Given the need to create clusters of demand for hydrogen in the
“This is a milestone in automotive history: the first ever series production fuel cell vehicle to be offered by a global premium manufacturer”
Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management, BMW AG
early stages of popularisation, Toyota and BMW will encourage sustainable hydrogen supply by creating demand and working closely with hydrogenproducing companies, as well as distribution and refuelling facilities, to ensure a stable hydrogen supply and reduce costs.
“We are pleased the collaboration between BMW and Toyota has entered a new stage,” says Koji Sato,
Toyota President. “In our long history of partnership, we have confirmed that BMW and Toyota share the same passion for cars and belief in ‘technology openness’ and a ‘multipathway’ approach to carbon neutrality.
“Based on these shared values, we will deepen our collaboration in efforts such as the joint development of nextgeneration fuel cell systems and the
Photo:
expansion of infrastructure, aiming for the realisation of a hydrogen society. We will accelerate our efforts together with BMW and partners across various industries to realise a future where hydrogen energy supports society.”
Toyota has positioned hydrogen as a key energy source in its efforts to achieve carbon neutrality and has been advancing initiatives in collaboration with many partners across the areas of hydrogen production, transportation, storage and usage.
The company aims to be “best-intown” by conducting locally rooted management that caters to each region’s market characteristics and customer needs. Moving forward, it will continue to address the needs of customers in each region by focusing on a multi-pathway approach that includes FCEVs, battery electric vehicles (BEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plugin hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) – all while working steadily towards reducing CO2 emissions.
“This is a milestone in automotive history: the first ever series production fuel cell vehicle to be offered by a global premium manufacturer,” says Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management, BMW AG. “Powered by hydrogen and driven by the spirit of our cooperation, it will underscore how technological progress is shaping future mobility. And it will herald an era of significant demand for fuel cell vehicles.”
Source: Toyota Motor Corporation
‘The status How CAE strategy
status
quo
is not an option’:
CAE is overhauling supply chain strategy in the aerospace sector
Valerie Myers, Senior Director, Global Supply Chains and Sustainability at CAE, on the supply chain digital transformation programme and sustainability initiatives taking place at the game-changing aerospace company.
Aerospace training and technology leader, CAE, has spent the last 76 years bringing the digital and physical worlds together to elevate safety, efficiency and readiness.
The company's mission? To be the worldwide partner of choice in civil aviation and defence and security by revolutionising its customers’ training and critical operations with digitally immersive solutions.
With high-tech training and operational support solutions, CAE’s history is filled with technology leadership and industry firsts. Today, its comprehensive supply chain digital transformation programme is helping to make the world a safer place.
We sit down with Valerie Myers, Senior Director of Global Supply Chains and Sustainability at CAE, to learn more.
To begin, Valerie delves into the supply chain digital transformation taking place at the company, emphasising how the COVID-19 pandemic has revolutionised the way it approaches wider strategic development.
“Digital supply chain transformation cannot exist in isolation,” says Valerie. “If you’re transforming, you’ll be leveraging new tools and incorporating these transformations into your operations. This level of transformation has been imperative for CAE – there is no way we could have survived, let alone thrived, in the post-pandemic recovery without meaningful overhaul in our supply chain tools and strategy.”
And thrive they did. The company retained thousands of jobs with CAE
employees and suppliers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since then, CAE has fully embraced its role in helping the aviation industry recover post-COVID-19. By delivering full-flight simulators quickly and enhancing training with digitally immersive solutions, the company continues to support airlines, operators and military personnel in elevating safety, efficiency and readiness for critical operations.
“Upon joining CAE in late 2021, it was clear we needed to adapt to the situation as the new normal, sometimes radically re-thinking how we execute our supply chain practices and reengineer our strategy. We pivoted to prioritise teamwork and innovation,” says Valerie. “When we talk about innovation, we’re not just talking about technology. We’re talking about looking at everything differently, constantly moving and pushing ourselves to maintain the entrepreneurial spirit at the very heart of CAE. We like to think of CAE as a 76-year-old startup, so we’re constantly changing and questioning how we run our operations.
“When we’re looking at innovating our digital approach to our supply chain, I like to boil things down to the simplest form and start from the foundation. You can’t build anything, whether that’s a new strategy or a house, without having situational awareness and clarity of intent. So we begin by reviewing the data.
“We began by taking stock of what we had, from KPIs, tools, metrics and business processes we were currently using, and if these systems were adequately serving us. Most of our tools were static and woefully ineffective as a means of getting us out of a shortage situation, and would certainly not help us to drive our business model further.
“One example is on-time delivery. Most supply chain managers will measure the on-time delivery capability of their suppliers, but that was the first thing I got rid of. When I tell people this, they look at me as if I have two heads, but I see it as a lagging indicator.
“How is it beneficial for me to be looking in my rearview mirror, checking what’s going on behind me when I’m going at 200 miles an hour? What we needed to pay attention to was the things coming at us. So instead, we shifted the use of our data towards predictive indicators. We leverage this in a variety of different models, from demand scenarios to shortage anticipation and prevention.
“We see our supply chain as a competitive edge – we are dependable and we make things happen. So when we’re looking at our suppliers, we’re interested in seeing the handle they have on their data, and if they’re clear on what they’re trying to accomplish. I’m not interested in people flashing exciting new technologies without a synergy
with an established, clear strategy. Pick your tools wisely – if you want to make an omelette, don’t reach for a power drill.
“By looking at potential suppliers under these new parameters, our goal was risk prevention and mitigation. I like to apply Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), a statistical approach heavily used in the automotive industry, among others, to determine, in the entirety of our design, where there could be a catastrophic failure, and focus solutions and attention towards those risks.
“We apply this concept in order to zero in on our data. There are so many variables in our production –we have over 500 partners and each one of our simulators is bespoke, even if it’s for the same airline. When you consider the amount of variables we have to manage, focus is the key.
“We leverage machine learning to help us draw more insights with exploratory analytics. This is where we’re looking at possible correlations and causation between data points to see how specific insights help inform the next step in our strategy.”
Access to reliable data insights, Valerie stresses, is crucial when working with suppliers – particularly in such a dynamic industry.
“Without data, I’m rudderless,” says Valerie. “And if I’m rudderless, how can I expect my suppliers to deliver
“Barco has been a longstanding partner of CAE. they have always worked to innovate in their new product lineup to try and help us attain the very frontiers we were pushing”
on what I need? I need to be clear on what my risks and intentions are, so I can be clear to my suppliers what my requirements are.
“In such a high-pressure industry, I need suppliers to be agile, dependable and collaborative. We want suppliers that reinvest in their business, in their people and in their systems. We’re looking for continuous improvement in technology and infrastructure.
“We trust the suppliers we work with to do the right thing for their business, but we also tell them very clearly that we expect them to be in constant motion –to invest in their operations, and to be transparent with us. If you as a supplier see risk, we want to hear about it so we can find a solution together.”
In order to ensure CAE’s suppliers meet these standards, Valerie and her team have developed a supplier performance programme.
“Very often, supplier performance programmes will be incredibly twodimensional,” says Valerie. “They focus on on-time delivery, price and competitiveness. But these are mere outcomes of numerous inputs
and decision points. This is where we need to exert influence. Our supplier performance programme, CAE Resilient Together, has involved focusing on those key partnerships that can help us move the needle on both holistic operational performance and sustainability.
“We have hundreds of suppliers, but a small pool of our key partners represent over 50% of our spend. We’ve selected these key partners by looking at their progress, their intentions, their values and their desire to move with us. In fact, some of our partners outrank us in terms of sustainability capabilities – which helps us continuously improve and get inspired from best practices.”
Two such partners are automation and industrial products developer Siemens and visual solutions provider Barco.
“Barco has been a longstanding partner of CAE,” says Valerie.
“Historically, we have leveraged one another’s technology roadmap, and they have always worked to innovate in their new product lineup to try and help us attain the very frontiers we were pushing.
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“As a developer of projection systems, Barco has a reliance on electronic components. The need for specific products was challenging during the pandemic, but they were very creative in working with us to manage our top priorities, as well as helping us minimise the cost of our transport and operations.
“If we think about Siemens Canada, we worked with their engineers after the COVID-19 pandemic to
revisit our existing design solutions. The objective was to enhance cost-efficiency while maintaining our high standards of quality and performance. Siemens didn’t have to do that for us, but they collaborated closely with us and demonstrated their commitment to our partnership. This collaborative framework is fundamental to building resilient supply chains that work smarter together. Everything that we do is underpinned by that model.”
“If we think about Siemens Canada, we worked with their engineers after the COVID-19 pandemic to revisit our existing design solutions”
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INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY: BMP METALS’ LEADERSHIP IN ADVANCED METAL FABRICATION SOLUTIONS
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BMP Metals stands at the forefront of advanced manufacturing, emphasising precision and innovation. With over 40 years of industry experience, we deliver high-quality, custom solutions. Our capabilities include laser cutting, punching, forming, welding, machining, 3D printing, supported by an in-house paint line and mechanical/electrical assembly. Utilising state-of-the-art technology, we ensure the utmost in quality, offering a one-stop solution from design to final assembly and testing.
Our commitment to quality is unwavering, supported by skilled employees. We cater to industries including aerospace, medical, defence, electronics, retail, IT, telecommunications and more. Each industry presents unique opportunities, and our specialised knowledge allows us to provide tailored solutions that meet specific requirements and exceed standards.
Sustainability Commitment: At BMP Metals, sustainability is integral to our business philosophy. We prioritise eco-friendly practices throughout our operations, from optimising energy usage and reducing waste to promoting recycling initiatives. By investing in sustainable technologies and processes, we minimise our environmental footprint while maximising efficiency and cost-effectiveness for our clients, which is reflected in the multiple awards that we have received. Our dedication to achieving Net Zero emissions ensures that we not only meet current environmental standards, but also contribute positively to a greener future.
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“We have enjoyed a very fruitful relationship with BMP. They’ve been very nimble in seeking solutions for us and are always investing within their local communities to attract and retain talent”
One particularly beneficial relationship has been with custom precision sheet metal fabricator BMP.
“We have enjoyed a very fruitful relationship with BMP,” says Valerie. “Throughout our relationship, if there have been impacts to their production line, they’ve been transparent about what they have been dealing with. They’ve been very nimble in seeking solutions for us and are always investing within their local
communities to attract and retain talent. It’s a fantastic internal culture that they’ve built.
“When we had challenges on another system where production was not where we wanted it, we turned to BMP and asked if they had the capacity to take this on – and they did. They were able to introduce this new product very successfully, helping us reduce risk elsewhere in our supply chain.
“We continue to grow in business with them, and they were actually the first recipient of our new Crystal Award last year, recognising excellence in supply chain.”
But while CAE’s relationship with BMP is rooted in history, the company is always looking to nurture new supplier relationships – more recently with energy and chemical solutions company Rampf.
“Rampf was the result of a two-year search, where we were actively seeking to add in a new partner in composites,” says Valerie. “As we emerged from the pandemic, planes were taking back to the skies and there was an immense demand for aircraft to be delivered – a composite-reliant product.
“This is a very labour-intensive process, and we searched worldwide for the right supplier to successfully meet our
“Rampf was the result of a two-year search, where we were actively seeking to add in a new partner in composites. The stars aligned with Rampf, who were in the process of growing their capabilities and capacity”
needs. The stars aligned with Rampf, who were in the process of growing their capabilities and capacity.
“When we first began working with them, they had state-of-the-art facilities and a lot of engineering talent. From the moment we began working together they engaged with us, challenged our designs, and helped us as we ramped up very quickly in production capability. They’re a company we’re thrilled to grow and develop alongside.”
As the first Canadian aerospace company to reach carbon neutrality, CAE has put significant emphasis on developing a sustainability strategy both within the company and with its external suppliers.
“Sustainability is of tremendous importance within the aerospace industry, and it is accelerating exponentially,” says Valerie. “At CAE, we’re welcoming what sustainability is bringing to us as an agent of change. We’re building it into our very operating model, future generations of our products and our supply chain strategy.
“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we continued to prioritise our sustainability strategy – taking a closer look at our Scope one, two and three emissions. This led to a transformation in the way we did business, generating a lot of conversations about how we can do business differently.
“This is a new language for everybody – it certainly was a new language for
myself. We understand that this is a new language for suppliers as well, so we take the time to educate and to engage in conversations rather than dictating what we think is right.
“I volunteered to step into the fold for sustainability within my unit because I wanted to test drive the new protocols we were deploying and ensure they worked in practice – I didn’t want to be preaching for the implementation of an approach that would fail to deliver meaningful, lasting change.
“As we moved forward with these sustainability initiatives, we focused on doing this alongside our key strategic suppliers – the ones that will move the needle. We told them: ‘You are the early adopters, you are the ones we want to develop and deploy in our sustainability practices, and you are the suppliers we want to share that responsibility with.’
“Our motto is that sustainability has to be part of your operating model. It cannot be bolted on. So we go to
our suppliers and meet with their leadership on their turf to understand their reality and discuss solutions.
“We’re keenly aware of the fact that we are competing with our peers – both in the aerospace industry and beyond – for our suppliers’ capacity. We want to deal with innovative suppliers that will always push their own envelope to support us, so we need to be the customer of choice. I want my suppliers to enjoy the work they do with us, developing alongside us in sustainability and innovation.
“I’m enthused by the work we have done to embed sustainability within our businesses, and I think we’ve generated positive momentum with our suppliers. There is an industry-wide change taking place, so it’s crucial that we’re enacting meaningful progress rather than trying to look good.
“Sustainability, technology and innovation all go hand-in-hand. When fostering growth within small and medium enterprises, we say that we want to fund innovation. This isn’t about the next cool machine, or the next new patent we’re going to be delivering. Instead, it’s how we do business differently. Business as usual will not solve the problems for the world of tomorrow. The status quo is not an option.”
For further information about CAE visit their website.
Learn more about the CAE Resilient Together Programme here.
ADDED VALUE
Looking at the bigger picture
“One of my favourite TED Talks is ‘Start with Why,’ which Simon Sinek gave almost fifteen years ago,” says Valerie. “The concept of it is so important to my whole philosophy, particularly as I’ve grown in my career. I started thinking about what moves me, and the importance of the bigger picture.
“When you’re working in supply chain, it’s easy to feel like you’re at the bottom of the pyramid – with other sectors driving changes while you have to react. But we’re looking at the bigger picture to see how supply chain can be at the forefront of development and setting new directions and innovations. Simon Sinek’s approach is all about understanding how it’s the ‘why’ that compels your suppliers, your colleagues and your leaders to follow the new direction you’re spearheading.”
Working with the leaders of tomorrow
“I’ve been able to collaborate with peers in the industry giving university lectures,” says Valerie. “We’re very fortunate in Montreal, with several English- and Frenchspeaking universities, and it’s great to be able to take your hat off and work alongside this new generation. I’ve been lucky to have the opportunity to give lectures on sustainability in supply chain, and doing this is something I’m very passionate about.
“It’s not just about giving back to the community, it’s helping to understand how some of our decisions now will have ramifications on academia and the future of the supply chain both at a local and international level.”
Boss Class
“I don’t often listen to podcasts,” says Valerie. “My commute is too short, and I fill my days too much. But when I do get the opportunity to listen, I have been engrossed in a series of podcasts by the Economist, called Boss Class.
“Just because we have decades of career experience behind us doesn’t mean we don’t need to take the time as leaders to reframe how we lead. Boss Class is a very thorough podcast that cites numerous examples of types of leaders and academic insights from different types of leaders, and I find it very useful to look at different approaches and see what would be good to embed into my leadership style.”
Connect with Valerie
AIRBUS SELECTED BY MDA SPACE TO DELIVER OVER 200 SPARKWING SOLAR ARRAYS
The photovoltaic solar arrays will be part of MDA AURORA™ supply chain.
Airbus has been selected by leading technology and services provider MDA Space to supply solar arrays for MDA AURORA™, the softwaredefined satellite product line enabling constellations to extend communication networks to every corner of the world.
his new initiative will provide operators with unparalleled flexibility and functionality, dramatically enhancing constellation performance at reduced cost and time to market.
The company will supply more than 200 Sparkwing solar arrays that will be built on a designated line at Airbus’ highcapacity production facility in the Netherlands. The solar array is the largest Sparkwing to date, consisting of two wings with
five panels each and providing a photovoltaic area of over 30 sqm.
Sparkwing is the world’s first commercially available, off-theshelf solar array for small satellites. It was originally optimised for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) missions that require power levels between 100W and 2000W. It offers customers a choice of more than thirty different panel dimensions, configurable into deployable wings with one, two or three panels per wing, with single actuation need (due to only one hold-down per wing).
Its application range has grown to cover also higher power demands and more and larger panels per wing for missions to LEO and beyond. Next to power generation, the solar array product provides a high stiffness, minimal integration effort (made for integration by the customer) and benign demands on the spacecraft sidewall tolerances.
The MDA AURORA™ supply chain will help support product deliveries for anchor customer Telesat’s LEO satellite constellation Lightspeed, an innovative, advanced global
“Our industrialised Sparkwing solar array product not only meets the demands of this ground-breaking constellation project, but is also tailored to ensure optimal performance in space”
Rob Postma, Managing Director of Airbus in the Netherlands
“The Sparkwing solar arrays are designed for series production, ideally suited for constellations, and we will accordingly contribute to a project enabling space connectivity”
Rob Postma, Managing Director of Airbus in the Netherlands
network that will bring enterprise-class connectivity to customers worldwide.
Designed to meet the changing technical and business requirements of the satellite industry, the MDA AURORA™ software-defined satellite product line provides operators with unparalleled flexibility and functionality, dramatically enhancing constellation performance at reduced cost and time to market.
“We are delighted to be selected as the supplier of solar arrays to partner with MDA Space for Telesat Lightspeed,” says Rob Postma, Managing Director of Airbus in the Netherlands. “Our industrialised Sparkwing solar array product not only meets the demands of this ground-breaking constellation project, but is also tailored to ensure optimal performance in space. The Sparkwing solar arrays are designed for series production, ideally suited for constellations, and we will accordingly contribute to a project enabling space connectivity.”
Source: Airbus
Building a modern pharmaceutical supply chain with values-based procurement
Tony Watson, Director of Procurement at Accord Healthcare, joins us to discuss how organisations with varying degrees of purchasing power can influence, engage and encourage supply chain collaboration to meet sustainability objectives.
As a fast-growing pharmaceutical company distributing medicines in over 85 countries, Accord Healthcare (Accord) has had to take and inventive approach to help improve access to vital pharmaceutical care.
he company has never shied away from finding new ways of doing things and Tony Watson, Director of Procurement, is no exception. He sits down with us today to discuss the importance of relationship-building and values-based procurement when developing a robust supply chain – particularly in times of great transformation.
“The COVID-19 pandemic was the most transformational point I’ve seen within this industry,” says Tony. “There has been a huge push in evolving the way we do things, especially in the procurement world. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were very much office-based. We had good relationships with our suppliers, but we were bringing them to us.
“When the pandemic began, everyone went home, the return to the office is a hybrid approach
across our matrix organisation, with my team operating from six locations globally. We have all changed the way we work. What this physical separation has done for us has led to a culture where we are now much more actively focused on relationships.
“I now take every opportunity I can get to be face-to-face with my team and suppliers, because when you get the opportunity to connect
Tony Watson, Director of Procurement at Accord Healthcare
company countries, take an agile patient
on a human level it makes that collaboration so much smoother. I’m a massive advocate for prioritising face-to-face communication in the workplace, and I think that by using that philosophy with our suppliers, we can build stronger relationships. As people, we’ve made the process of communication incredibly complex, but it can be so much simpler.”
This value of simple, straightforward communication is something Tony carries with him in all aspects of his role.
“We’ve been focusing on keeping what we do simple,” says Tony. “There’s no point in making something complex for the sake of it. So now, whenever we’re looking at any type of process or project, the question is always: ‘What do we need to achieve, and how are we going to get there?’
“To make things simpler, we have to start with the data. I have an intense curiosity for whatever I’m working on, so I can get under the skin of what’s in front of me – by having that in-depth knowledge, you’re making things more straightforward in the long run.”
This is underpinned by Tony’s implementation of values-based procurement, which prioritises achieving high value for the patient.
“My approach is what we call valuesbased procurement,” says Tony. “So first of all, we need to look at why
we are doing what we do – because ultimately our aim at Accord is that we need to ensure patients can get access to the medicines they need, when they need them.
“It’s almost like a retail mindset. We need to have the medicines on the shelf, because otherwise a patient can’t access what they need, and I think this
“QYOBO provides us with an online platform which allows us to see the market dynamics for any active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) that we buy”
everything they teach is underpinned by positive values – for instance, trust, integrity and friendship.
“This really connected with me, and it’s shaped how I approach procurement strategy. I’ve always strived for strong relationships that create value across the supply chain, and meeting Dr Neil Hawkes helped me further consider what that looked like in our modern supply chains.
“How can we spend time with suppliers, and how can we build up trust? Because when you start to build trust, that’s when you can create real commercial benefits and long-term strategic partnerships. By investing that time and building a bridge of trust, it can be easier to resolve any issues that may develop across the relationship.
is what drives me and my team. So there is a constant need to procure and distribute these medications. And to do that, I use values-based procurement.
“A few years ago, I met Dr. Neil Hawkes, who's responsible for the implementation of values-based education across the UK. If you go into schools today, you can see that
“We’re very keen to bring our suppliers into our factories – we have significant facilities in Devon and Newcastle, and we bring our suppliers to those sites and let those sites directly communicate what they need from the relationship, and vice versa.
“When we have this direct communication, where our sites can say ‘I need to receive this purchase
for a demo of the QYOBO platform. ...or analyse the supply network of more than 2 million drugs
Healthcare in getting insights that no one else has.
“What sets Medica Packaging apart for us is their focus on an agile supply chain. It is absolutely critical that when we make a move on the market that we can react quickly and efficiently”
order by this time and if something’s going to be late, pick up the phone to me,’ it makes the whole process flow better. This may sound very simplistic, but it’s at the core of everything we do. People connect when they have a relationship. If something isn’t right, they pick up the phone. They know each other because they’ve met and they have an emotional connection.
“If you’ve taken time to emotionally invest in your suppliers on that level, they’re more likely to provide you with the support you need to build a more agile supply chain. Because of these relationships, we’re better equipped to respond to the changing dynamics of the marketplace. In this day and age there are so many unknowns, and we’ve approached this by trying to weave agility into our supply chains in order to build out our resilience.”
In order to develop these relationships with suppliers, Accord puts them into clear categories to better understand the needs for that specific connection.
“We have very well-defined supplier definitions,” says Tony. “For some of our suppliers, the touch is very light because we have very straightforward requirements that don’t call for a more hands-on approach. For the rest of our
suppliers, we have three categories: strategic, critical and developing.
“Our strategic suppliers represent about 80% of our spend, and we prioritise building a lasting relationship with them by ensure we properly invest our time with them.
“An example of a critical supplier is a supplier who may be small but supplies a crucial product. For instance, steroids are a key product used across all of our tablets, so we need to be in close communication with those specialist suppliers to ensure that the product remains consistent.
“Our developing suppliers category was introduced as a way to identify suppliers that we believe will have a long-term future with us. It takes time to build pharmaceutical supplier relationships, so we like to take the time to work alongside them to get to the point where they’re in a really strong position with us.
“A great example of a developing supplier is Medica Packaging, one of our suppliers who provides printed packaging. When we started working with them, we could see that they had the right mindset, the right level of
trust and a willingness to connect with us.
“This helped us decide to give them a small slice of the portfolio while we develop this relationship, meaning that they are treated the same as a strategic supplier in terms of our approach.
“What sets Medica Packaging apart for us is their focus on an agile supply chain. It is absolutely critical that when we make a move on the market that we can react quickly and efficiently. The typical lead time for medical cartons is six to eight weeks but, when a client urgently needed 400 cartons, Medica
with have played a hugely significant role in helping the procurement process run smoothly. As a leader, his main target is to celebrate his team.
“To me, the key priority in leadership is empowerment,” says Tony. “Through empowering your teams, you can get unbelievable performance – I’ve seen people come up with situations I never dreamt possible. Sometimes I’m a little in awe of the work that my teams produce.
“In my role, I have many different people looking to me for different reasons and I strive to treat everybody
“Having the latest information directly at my fingertips allows me to become very knowledgeable very quickly”
Packaging was able to deliver that within two weeks.
“This all starts with relationship building. We had made it very clear to Medica Packaging what was important to us and how we can blend with them on development. We’ve got planning stakeholders, artwork stakeholders, procurement stakeholders and quality stakeholders. All of those people have to work with our suppliers, so it’s a real joint value-added activity that gives us an agile, responsive supply chain.”
But while Tony has pioneered this approach in working with suppliers, he emphasises that the people he works
absolutely equally. If someone is raising something to me, I give them the same amount of attention – regardless of their position in the business. Through this we get empowerment, and teams that feel supported enough to make decisions on their own.
“Everyone has their own unique skill sets, and my role as a leader is to facilitate the growth and development of those talents. One of the key things to remember is that we don’t stay around forever, so we need to be developing the leaders of the future. I want to help the people I work with start to rise up, so when
an opportunity comes they have the confidence to stand up and lean into that.”
According to Tony, this confidence is also facilitated by the strong bond he and his team have built, thanks to an inventive approach to team-building since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Before the pandemic, we all used to be able to easily socialise face to face,” says Tony. “So when we all had to start working from home, the first thing we did would put in a couple of meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays, for half an hour.
“What I’ve tried to do with this is substitute the time when you come in in the morning, or you’re getting lunch or a cup of coffee, so you still get that social aspect of the office culture. This has been very beneficial for us and, with the majority of our team working at different sites, we’ve kept this approach to this day.
“We had to get super creative with team building during the COVID-19
pandemic, because we couldn’t rely on traditional in-person activities paintballing or canoeing, for instance. Instead, we had fancy dress quizzes, virtual wine tastings and so much more. Doing all of these different things brought the team together and kept them close – and we still see the benefits of that today, because we built a strong team where people felt connected in a world where we had all of a sudden become so isolated.”
While a strong team has made processes more efficient at Accord, Tony celebrates the tools and emerging technologies that have further streamlined operations –including software platform QYOBO.
“QYOBO provides us with an online platform which allows us to see the market dynamics for any active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) that we buy,” says Tony. “We have many molecules that we buy the API for, so we have a lot to keep track of at this end, but QYOBO has created a system that helps us understand the marketplace very comprehensively.
“A job that would normally take us two or three days now takes a matter of minutes and provides us with double the information we used to have access to. I can quickly and efficiently understand what’s going on with pricing, what’s going on with our suppliers and what’s going on with the market supply and demand.
“QYOBO has transformed our approach towards APIs and allowed us to become incredibly competitive. With the help of this tool, we’ve been able to drive down our costs significantly.
“Having the latest information directly at my fingertips allows me to become very knowledgeable very quickly. If we need to know about a specific API, in five minutes we have an unbelievable report on the market dynamics: who the suppliers are, who else is buying it, what regulatory issues there are and what’s going on further down the supply chain.”
Wrapping up our conversation, Tony takes a chance to celebrate the company culture at Accord and
highlights the organisation’s charitable work.
“I’m very proud of the charitable work we’ve done with International Health Partners (IHP),” says Tony. “We worked closely with IHP at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. There were industry-wide freight and supply issues, which meant that industry donations across major pharmaceutical companies had fallen to an all-time low. To help provide access to life-saving medicines, we doubled our donations.
“As time was of the essence at this critical moment, we then worked on a strategic project with IHP called Project Hope, where we mobilised our efforts, pulling forward our usual yearly donation of essential medicines within a week.
“Internally, we undertook a project called ‘Take Time for Ukraine’ which was an unprecedented effort from Accord employees to not just support IHP, but to send humanitarian aid worth over £8m to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
“These vital medicines can provide treatments in live-or-death situations for vulnerable communities, and we’ve been lucky enough to have the resources to help people living in areas where people lack access to basic healthcare. To me, that’s what working in this industry is all about – helping the patients.”
Learn more about Accord Healthcare here.
Recommended reading
Tony recommends The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business by Erin Meyer.
“This book is all about how different cultures do business differently,” says Tony. “For example, some countries are very friendly and emotional in their communication whereas others are much more direct, which can come across as aggressive if you’re not from that culture. This can get complicated when people from different cultures are trying to negotiate.
“Reading this book has made me a lot more mindful of how I give feedback to suppliers from different cultures – the way I naturally communicate could come across as rude to some cultures, and too fluffy in others. It’s crucial for building relationships.”
Events
Tony is looking forward to hosting a panel titled ‘Reducing Sustainable Supply Chain Risks Through Effective Stakeholder Management & Engagement’ at the Verdantix Sustainable Supply Chain Summit Europe 2024, in Brussels, Belgium on October 10, 2024.
“I’m excited to discuss how you bring values-based procurement into the conversation of sustainability,” says Tony. “There’s a lot of confidentiality within the pharmaceutical industry, but sustainability is an area of work where sharing information is crucial.
“My panel will focus on reducing sustainable supply chain risks through effective stakeholder management and engagement, and how we can address sustainability concerns for effective supply chain mapping. I’m really keen to be involved in this, because I’d like to continue to spread the message about values-based procurement.”
Connect with Tony
How mentorship, collaboration and self-advocacy are paving the way for future female leaders The Women in Supply Chain Award:
Meet the winners of this year's Women in Supply Chain award.
For the past five years, Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive have honoured celebrated female leaders with annual Women in Supply Chain
and with its award.
he awards honour female supply chain leaders and executives whose accomplishments, mentoring and example setting have created a foundation for women to achieve success in all levels of a company’s supply chain network.
This year, four winners were selected from the categories of Workplace Innovators, DEI Pioneers, Trailblazers and Rising Stars.
These winners are playing a significant role in closing the gender gap to pave the way for future female leaders in logistics, and are outlined in the following pages…
KRISTY BATES
Overall Workplace Innovator
Kristy Bates, Senior Vice President of Revenue at sustainable third-party logistics (3PL) provider GoBolt has been named overall workplace innovator thanks to her initiatives around workforce development. During her time at the company, she has developed a mentorship programme that focuses on increasing communication and improving empathy, and created a Women’s Employee Resource Group.
“Essentially the Women’s Employee Resource Group is a voluntary employee-led group that fosters that diverse, inclusive environment that ladders up to the company's missions, goals and values,” says Kristy. “We’ve done workshops around resilience, workshops around building confidence in the workplace. We share articles on career development and women in the workplace. It really has become a super supportive avenue for people to share ideas, challenge each other and get that support.”
EILEEN DABROWSKI
Overall Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Pioneer
Werner Enterprises’ learning and development innovator Eileen Dabrowski was awarded overall DEI pioneer after forging a years-long strategy to make the trucking industry more diverse. She has previously worked in development and leadership and academia, and has been a DEI advocate her whole life.
“I think what the world needs to understand about DEI is that DEI isn’t about what we're doing wrong as humans, and I think a lot of people are so scared to move forward or tackle or enter the DEI space because they don't want to get it wrong, but not doing anything is actually often more detrimental than having a miss and owning it and learning from it,” says Eileen. “Every step forward is a step in the right direction. And I think one of the most important things people need to remember about DEI is, if you have people making a decision about a different group of people, or there’s no representation and access, meaning diversity of
thought, diversity of humans involved in the decision, then you're doing a disservice.”
Because of this, Eileen formed a culture club within Werner Enterprises, which involves a representative from each part of the organisation. These individuals serve as the voice of their respective departments – and the diverse populations that they serve.
JENNIFER MCKEEHAN
Overall Trailblazer
Jennifer McKeehan knows what it takes to put the customer first. Whether it's listening and executing on their needs or providing speed and convenience on a consistent basis, her goal is always to give customers what they want in the timeframe they want it in.
As Senior Vice President of Transportation and Delivery at Walmart, Jennifer does just that. Her current focus is on further developing sustainable practice within the company.
“Net carbon emissions is a lot of what our customers are saying are important to them,” says Jennifer.
“We’re transitioning from plastic to recyclable paper bag mailers.
“When you get that package to your doorstep, it’ll be coming in a recyclable mailer, and we estimate it’s going to eliminate 65 million plastic mailers and two tonnes of plastic from circulation in the US.
“We’re also really excited about our next-gen facilities. We now have technology in place that makes a box specific to the size of the thing you ordered. And so imagine, for all supply chain folks, let’s put more boxes on trucks, spend less emissions and save the cardboard by not creating a box bigger than you need,” she adds.
LIDA HAKOBYAN
Overall Rising Star
Truck driver-turned entrepreneur Lida Hakobyan founded Freight Freedom when she discovered the gap in mentorship, quality and coaching in logistics.
“My goal was always to provide practical and actionable easy steps for people who can really put it into action and get the results,” says Lida. “The challenges that I faced being on the road are different from being a business owner. I had to learn sales, marketing, customer acquisition, customer relationship finances, all
these regulations. I was hiring the drivers. I was doing safety and compliance. Then, as a freight broker, I had to acquire customers and choose reliable and trusted carriers. I got to learn a lot of stuff on my own.”
The four winners will be in person and on stage at this year's Women in Supply Chain Forum in Atlanta, Georgia on November 12 and 13 to share their experiences, their journeys, their visions and provide advice for the future.
Source: Supply & Demand Chain Executive
The solution aims to bring the benefits of Cloud ERP to warehousing and e-commerce.
European industrial software solutions provider Forterro recently announced the launch of Orderwise Cloud.
his solution is tailored to the specific requirements of retail, wholesale, warehousing and e-commerce companies.
Orderwise has worked with companies in those sectors for more than three decades, and the launch of Orderwise Cloud will meet customers’ increasing demands to bring its features, functionality and innovation to the cloud.
It is a software as a service (SaaS) solution and enterprise-grade cloud platform that reduces total cost of ownership (TCO) and
provides customers with enhanced security, greater accessibility and improved access to innovation – with additional functionality embedded.
“The needs of our customers are always our main priority, and the launch of Orderwise Cloud is the step that SMEs in retail, warehousing, wholesale and e-commerce have wanted,” says Carrie Tallett, Orderwise Product Manager at Forterro.
“Combining our sector experience and expertise with cloud benefits such as scalability, accessibility, high availability and functionality makes a compelling prospect.
“Approaching digital transformation can be daunting for SMEs, and Orderwise Cloud helps accelerate that journey while also delivering improved business performance.”
Orderwise Cloud is fully integrated with eBay and Amazon and can be custom-integrated with various platforms a customer may use. It comes with a range of features and
functionality valued by companies looking to enhance or automate workflows.
As a cloud product, it is fully scalable, and the reduced tech stack costs mean reduced TCO, with fewer specialist staff costs, no more hardware refreshes or cap-ex planning and the avoidance of unplanned spend, freeing up capital for other purposes.
Initially acquired by Forterro in 2022, Orderwise Cloud is the latest product in Forterro’s growing focus on delivering cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions
As security has been noted as an important area of focus for end users, it forms a key element of Orderwise Cloud. Through Forterro’s specialist teams, Orderwise provides constant monitoring of threats to reduce business and personal risk and offers rapid threat investigation and response when an attack does occur. Initially acquired by Forterro in 2022, Orderwise Cloud is the latest product in Forterro’s growing focus on delivering cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions.
“Cloud is an increasing focus for our customers and therefore also for us,” says Steve Ridgley, Director, Product Development & Research at Forterro.
“Orderwise Cloud is based on 33 years of providing software to those sectors, and we have used all that accumulated learning into cloud delivery and all the benefits that come with that. It’s secure, flexible and helps customers achieve their strategic goals.”
One of the first users of Orderwise Cloud is Automated Environmental Systems (AES), one of the UK’s biggest suppliers
Security is a major concern for us, and the additional security features in Orderwise Cloud will help us keep the business secure and protected
Sarah Bones, System Process Analyst, at AES
and manufacturers of pumps and pumping equipment. AES is a longterm user of on-premise Orderwise and decided the time was right to take the business to the next level.
“Security is a major concern for us, and the additional security features in Orderwise Cloud will help us keep the business secure and protected,” says Sarah Bones, System Process
Analyst, at AES. “It also means we don’t need to spend valuable staff time on daily manual back-ups, and it opens up a whole range of other modules from which we can benefit. We have ambitious growth plans, and Orderwise Cloud is the ideal ERP solution to support our expansion.”
Source: Forterro
SUTTON
"The team were professional and diligent throughout"
Leigh Feaviour, CTIO for BT’s Supply Chain
"Absolute pleasure working with the Digital Innovation team"
Mun Valiji, Chief Information Security Officer at Sainsbury’s
"A highly professional approach"
Andy Brierley, Vice President, Cloud Application Modernisation at IBM
"Digital innovation Magazine is a very flexible and professional team"
Kim Larsen CTIO, T-Mobile Netherlands
AGILITY, TRANSPARENCY AND TRANSFORMATION: CHAIN.IO’S SNOWFLAKE CONNECTED APPLICATION
The app has been designed to break down supply chain data silos.
CHAIN.IO, a cloud-based integration platform that connects systems for better control of supply chain data, recently announced the Snowflake connected application, the AI Data Cloud Company. Supply chain teams can now use Chain.io to move data from across
their supply chain into Snowflake – breaking down data silos and leveraging more value from their data.
Logistics and supply chain data are often complicated, messy and hard to understand, but Chain.io ensures
“WITH THE CHAIN.IO SNOWFLAKE CONNECTED APPLICATION, SUPPLY CHAIN TEAMS CAN FINALLY ACCESS AND ANALYSE VAST AMOUNTS OF DATA IN A WAY THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY OUT OF REACH”
Brian Glick, CEO of Chain.io.
that data sent into Snowflake is clean – so teams can make use of the vast amount of data their supply chain generates. Using the Snowflake connected application, supply chain teams can solve major operational challenges like knowing the status of their goods in transit, having a centralised location to view supplier-managed freight and analysing trends across rate data to lower transportation costs.
“With the Chain.io Snowflake connected application, supply chain teams can finally access and analyse vast amounts of data in a way that was previously out of reach,” says Brian Glick, CEO of Chain.io. “By combining Chain.io’s ETL capabilities and supply chain-specific data model with Snowflake’s data sharing
capabilities, we’re empowering businesses to achieve agility, transparency and transformation.”
Joint customers of Chain.io and Snowflake will allow supply chain teams to drive greater efficiency through real-time data sharing across partners, suppliers and
customers while maintaining high standards of data security and scalability. With the ability to move data from existing supply chain technology stacks into Snowflake, companies can uncover valuable insights, optimise operations and forecast demand with improved accuracy.
The new offering ensures all supply chain data assets can be securely shared and analysed in one place, empowering supply chain teams to create a single, unified data and analytics strategy.
Source: Chain.io
Next-generation digital services and consulting leader Infosys has extended its strategic collaboration with Posti, the leading delivery and logistics services provider in Finland, Sweden and the Baltics.
nfosys will help Posti enhance customer experience and operational efficiency as part of this engagement, while continuing to innovate, scale and grow its IT operations.
In order to empower Posti with operation efficiencies and service quality, Infosys will adopt an AI-driven approach powered by
Infosys Topaz, an AI-first offering using generative AI technologies.
Infosys Cobalt will also leverage its Live Enterprise Application Management Platform (LEAP), a cloudenabled platform that will provide NextGen Application Management Services for enterprises to accelerate their cloud journey and drive business productivity.
“We are pleased to announce the renewal of our collaboration with Infosys for another seven years,” says Petteri Naulapää, CIO & SVP, ICT and Digitalization at Posti Group. “By harnessing the power of AI through Infosys Topaz and cloud capabilities through Infosys Cobalt, we aim to
create a more efficient and customercentric organisation.
“The collaboration with Infosys will accelerate our digital transformation journey and help us deliver exceptional services, optimise our operations and strengthen our
“Building on our growing presence in the Nordics and proven expertise in AI-powered transformation, Infosys is thrilled to announce the renewal of our strategic collaboration with Posti” Karmesh Vaswani, EVP and Global Head Retail, Consumer Goods & Logistics at Infosys
position as a leading delivery and logistics provider.”
Over the past five years of this collaboration, Infosys has helped Posti improve the resilience of IT systems, reduce outages and disruptions, and improved Posti’s ability to prevent and respond to cyber threats. The company has also helped Posti modernise the front-end consumerfacing applications and replace legacy systems and processes.
“Building on our growing presence in the Nordics and proven expertise in AI-powered transformation, Infosys is thrilled to announce the renewal of our strategic collaboration with Posti,” says Karmesh Vaswani, EVP and Global Head Retail, Consumer Goods & Logistics at Infosys. “This extension demonstrates our unwavering commitment to delivering nextgeneration services and solutions specifically tailored to address the unique challenges faced by our clients in the Nordics.
“By leveraging cutting-edge Gen AI alongside our comprehensive digital suite, we aim to propel Posti's competitiveness even further within Finland, Sweden, and the Baltics. This next phase of our work will empower Posti to not only become a leader in the logistics and e-commerce sector, but a true digital frontrunner in the Nordics.”
Source: Infosys
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In the Company of...
Welcome to our spotlight profile feature where we chat with the leaders and innovators in the supply chain, procurement and logistics industries.
For this month’s In the company of… we sit down with Paul Kefford, Managing Director at Atlas Procurement Solution.
A brief summary of your role and what your organisation does
As the Managing Directors at Atlas Procurement Solution (APS), Michael Crocefoglia and I lead a business committed to optimising procurement processes and supply chain solutions. APS specialises in delivering transparency, cost savings and sustainable value across various industries.
Our mission is to ensure that our clients’ supply chains are fair, efficient and aligned with their long-term business goals. But we’re different. We aren’t the heroes in this story, we’re the guides that provide our customers the route to success – a bit like Yoda in Star Wars or Mr Miyagi in Karate Kid!
How did you start working in procurement?
My journey into procurement began with an ironic twist of putting myself forward to sell some lithographic printing equipment, rather than allowing the equipment to be sold for €20,000, I helped the company sell the equipment at €250,000! This opened my eyes to the corporate commercial world and how easy it was to make big differences. I then focused on pushing costs down for the same €3.5bn revenue company.
What has been the biggest highlight of your career to date?
I’ve had the privilege of working on numerous projects from His Majesty’s Passport Office to procuring brand new offices within central London.
The most significant highlight of my career has been curating
a brand-new focus on procurement at Halma PLC – might I add what a fabulous company that is! This experience not only deepened my understanding of procurement’s purpose and possible success, but it also reinforced my commitment to driving value through innovative procurement strategies and new ways of thinking about management vs influence.
Which emerging trend do you think will be most crucial in your industry in the next ten years?
Looking ahead, I believe the most crucial trend in procurement will be the growing focus on transparent sourcing.
As global supply chains become more interconnected, businesses will need to ensure their procurement practices are not only cost-effective but also provide complete transparency in terms of many different factors. This shift is not just a trend but a necessary evolution for companies aiming to thrive in the next decade as we all push towards net zero, ethical practices, reduction of risk and fundamental value for all.
If you could spend a day in the life of another profession, what would it be and why?
If I could step into another profession for a day, it would be a pro golfer! This sport intrigues me. It requires precision, focus and patience, much like procurement, where careful planning and execution are key. Not only that, but pro golf also offers significant earning potential, with top players achieving considerable financial
success through tournaments, sponsorships and endorsements!
Outside work, what helps you feel like the best version of yourself?
Outside of work, I find balance and inspiration through my family and loving wife. Whether it’s a relaxing dog walk in the woods, or running around Disney’s Magic Kingdom, these activities allow me to recharge, stay motivated, but most of all smile! They help me to be the best version of myself both personally and professionally.
Before we go: what advice would you like to share with our readers?
My advice is to focus on building strong relationships and ensuring transparency in all procurement dealings: don’t be afraid to ask where everything comes from. Trust and open communication with suppliers and internal stakeholders are key to achieving long-term success and navigating the complexities of modern supply chains. Together we’re always stronger, happier and living with fewer ‘unknown unknowns’!
Connect with Paul Connect with APS
5 – 6 November 2024 Munich, Germany
THE EVENT FO R SUPP LY CH AIN LEADERS FRO M LOGISTICS, I T AND TRANSPOR TATION INDUSTRIES !
Bringing together over 150 attendees, the summit provides an unparalleled opportunity to share operational knowledge and provide updates on technology and system advances. Those in attendance will benefit from a packed two-day programme, where they will explore the critical issues with the industry’s best speakers.
There will be plentiful networking times, expect to meet fellow industry leaders, enabling meetings, connections and business growth.
‘’It was a great event with a lot of interesting insights – I really enjoyed it!’’
