DRIVING SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT PRACTICES
Insights from Jeffrey Van Gelderen, Procurement Director Europe at IPL
Jeffrey Van Gelderen’s extensive career in procurement has been marked by a dedication to operational excellence, sustainability, and strategic sourcing. Currently serving as the Procurement Director for Europe at IPL Plastics, Jeffrey plays a pivotal role in shaping the company’s procurement strategy to meet the evolving demands of the packaging industry. With a wealth of experience in sourcing, supplier management, and cross-functional collaboration, Jeffrey shares his journey, key insights on sustainable procurement practices, and his vision for the future of procurement at IPL. In this interview, he discusses the challenges and opportunities within the procurement landscape and how IPL is positioning itself to lead with innovation and sustainability in the years to come.
Career Journey in Procurement
Can you share your professional background and the path that led you to your current role as Procurement Director for Europe at IPL?
The career journey of the Procurement Director for Europe at IPL is a story of perseverance and strategic growth. After completing a degree in Business Administration with a specialisation in Supply Chain Management he began his career during the 2008 financial crisis working for a small construction firm, where he honed his leadership skills and learned the intricacies of small business operations. From there, he transitioned into the chemical industry, specifically in a plant producing TiO2, a raw material for a variety of industries.
His career took a significant turn when he was offered an opportunity to transform a warehouse at Philips in the Netherlands, marking the beginning of nearly a decade-long tenure at the company. Over the course of his time at Philips, he implemented LEAN principles, digitalised stock management, and optimised capacity, significantly reducing costs and workforce size. Eventually, he transitioned into strategic procurement, driving cost-down programs and contributing to the company’s factory relocation to Poland.
Further career milestones included a move to Eindhoven, where he took on the role of Procurement Manager for Philips’ Beauty division, where he played a pivotal role in the development of the Philips Lumea Prestige product. Following internal promotions, he led strategic decisions on the placement of production lines globally. His experience was further broadened when, due to Brexit, he led the relocation of a factory from the UK to third-party suppliers, managing the transition smoothly with minimal customer disruption.
In 2020, he was recruited to build and lead the procurement and supply chain department at Anteryon, a high-tech laser manufacturing company. The challenges of navigating supply disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic were significant, but the business thrived under his leadership. The next chapter of his career saw him joining IPL Plastics Lommel in Belgium, where he initially focused on warehouse operations and ERP implementation. When the VP of Procurement departed, he took on the additional responsibility of overseeing procurement and supply chain operations. Since January 2024, he has been fully dedicated to the Procurement Director role for Europe, where he is leading efforts to build a European team focused on dual sourcing, risk mitigation, spend insights, and cost-down roadmaps.
Through a series of transformative roles, he has become a key figure in procurement strategy and supply chain optimisation, and continues to lead efforts to drive efficiencies and innovation in his current position at IPL
Procurement’s Role in IPL’s Operations
How does the procurement function contribute to IPL’s mission of delivering sustainable packaging solutions across various industries?
The IPL Procurement team plays a key role in driving sustainability by continually seeking opportunities to enhance efficiency and reduce environmental impact. This includes rationalising the supply base, leveraging our global scale to achieve cost efficiencies, and sourcing recycled materials to replace virgin materials where possible. By focusing on these areas, we are able to bring the best value to our customers while also contributing to our mission of providing sustainable packaging solutions across various industries.
Sustainable Sourcing Initiatives
Sustainability is a key focus for IPL. Could you elaborate on the initiatives your team has implemented to promote sustainability and ethical practices within the supply chain?
To promote sustainability and ethical practices within our supply chain, we have established a structured approach to sustainable sourcing. This includes the development of questionnaires, audit documentation, and gathering insights into where we source materials from, as well as conducting risk assessments. We send out self-assessment questionnaires to our suppliers, which require them to evaluate their practices and provide evidence in response to our inquiries. Additionally, we have conducted supplier visits and audits as part of our supplier quality assurance program, ensuring that they meet our sustainability and ethical standards.
Leveraging Technology in Procurement
With advancements in technology, how is IPL integrating digital tools and data analytics to enhance procurement processes and decision-making?
In 2024, we focused significantly on the roll-out of a global ERP system, unifying all our manufacturing sites under one platform. This has greatly streamlined reporting, spend insights, and the centralisation of purchase order (PO) creation and approval processes. Additionally, we have integrated Power BI, which automates dozens of repetitive reports, making them available at any time. This integration allows our team to shift focus towards more strategic activities, such as sourcing, negotiating, and supporting data-driven decision-making.
Managing Supplier Relationships and Compliance
What strategies does IPL employ to maintain strong, ethical relationships with suppliers and ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations?
At IPL, we maintain strong supplier relationships through regular discussions, including strategic review meetings, quarterly business reviews (BRMs), and online meetings, often combined with supplier visits. To ensure compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements, we onboard new suppliers who preferably hold ISO accreditation. For certain suppliers, particularly those providing materials for food packaging, we request quality inspections both at the supplier’s site and upon receipt at our facilities. Additionally, we require Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) documentation and food migration testing to ensure product safety and quality.
Proudly working with IPL Plastics, and leading the clean energy transition as a full-service energy partner
At Ameresco we are focussed on delivering industry leading energy procurement services, engineering solutions and data-driven insights. Through understanding your energy usage, we can identify savings opportunities and implement strategies that lead to meaningful reductions in energy, costs, and emissions.
With expertise in both environmental and financial outcomes, we help navigate the complex energy landscape, allowing sustainability to become achievable and affordable.
Please reach out to our Energy Supply Director, Peter Pharoah, ppharoah@ameresco.com, for more information.
Adapting to Market Volatility and Supply Chain Disruptions
The global market is subject to volatility. How does IPL’s procurement function adapt to changes in market conditions, such as fluctuations in commodity prices or supply chain disruptions?
At IPL, we aim to qualify three sources for our key products, with at least two different regions of origin, allowing us to mitigate potential supply chain disruptions. We apply safety stocks, either at IPL or with our suppliers, where possible and reasonable, to further ensure continuity. To manage commodity price volatility, we use hedging strategies (e.g., for energy costs), while raw material prices generally follow market indices, which we transparently pass on to customers.
Supporting Innovation through Procurement
How does the procurement team collaborate with other departments, such as R&D and product development, to foster innovation and bring new packaging solutions to market?
The procurement team works closely with R&D and product development teams to foster innovation. In Europe, biweekly meetings are held with each site to follow up on new material releases. Additionally, the product development teams involve procurement early on when a new product is being introduced at IPL, seeking input on the availability and suitability of materials in the market.
Our procurement team also supports value engineering exercises and Design-for-Excellence workshops, helping to ensure that new packaging solutions meet both cost and performance objectives.
Developing Talent in Procurement
What initiatives does IPL have in place to attract, develop, and retain top talent within the procurement function, and how do you foster a culture of continuous improvement?
At IPL, we prioritise developing talent from within the company. We take pride in the fact that the entire European central procurement team has been built through internal promotions. We recognise and reward the hard work of our team by empowering them with increased autonomy and exposure to larger parts of the business. This approach enables individuals to gain a broader understanding of IPL and encourages cross-learning between different sites.
We’ve found that this strategy has generated significant efficiencies within the division, as crosslearning from activities at various sites fosters new ideas and diverse perspectives, driving continuous improvement within the team.
Navigating Geopolitical Challenges
In light of global geopolitical tensions, how does IPL’s procurement strategy address risks associated with international trade and supply chain dependencies?
We strive to source as much as possible from local markets, but this approach is always considered in the context of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and our risk appetite. As part of our risk mitigation strategy, we enable sourcing from diverse global regions. For example, a key material we frequently use at IPL is produced in Europe, Saudi Arabia, and North America. This geographic diversification allows us to quickly pivot to other regions should any restrictions or risks arise in one area.
For components with exposure to regions outside of Europe, we ensure that we either have at least three qualified sources or are actively working to qualify additional sources. This approach helps us maintain flexibility and minimise disruption risks due to geopolitical challenges.
Future Vision for Procurement at IPL
Looking ahead, what are your primary objectives for the growth and development of IPL’s procurement function in the next five years?
In the next five years, our focus will be on leveraging our global scale, particularly by collaborating with our North American colleagues to identify commonalities in sourcing opportunities. We will continue to enhance our team’s expertise in value engineering and Design-for-Excellence, ensuring we stay at the forefront of innovative sourcing practices.
We also aim to further develop our sourcing strategies and the supporting software tools we use, ensuring full compliance with the latest sustainability standards. A key target for us is to achieve Platinum level at Ecovadis, although we recognise there is still significant work to be done to reach world-class status.
IPL is a leading global provider of sustainable packaging solutions, specialising in injection-molded products and rigid containers for industries such as food, consumer goods, agriculture, automotive, logistics, and environmental services. With over 80 years of innovation, IPL operates 17 manufacturing facilities across North America, Europe, and Asia, serving more than 3,000 customers worldwide.
Jeffrey Van Gelderen Procurement Director Europe