"Mastering a complex market environment"

Vilsbiburg, 15. May 2014. – The Dräxlmaier Group presented its worldwide purchasing strategy in Vilsbiburg today at the "Innovation showplace" of the
German Federal Association for Materials Management, Purchasing and Logistics (BME). In the headquarters of the automotive supplier, almost 40 industry experts learned about the successful alignment of the Dräxlmaier purchasing area. In November 2013, the Dräxlmaier Group received the "BME Innovation Prize" in Berlin for its concept, "Global Procurement Strategy Advanced."

"A complex market environment requires a strong strategic instrument!" said Christian Staab, manager of global purchasing at Dräxlmaier, to the participants in the BME innovation showplace in Vilsbiburg. At Dräxlmaier, the purchasing area successfully met worldwide challenges with its "Global procurement strategy advanced" concept, begun in 2010, and thereby made a major contribution to corporate profits.

In his opening address, Dr.-Ing. Silvius Grobosch said: "Use the opportunity today to get to know the innovative purchasing concept at the Dräxlmaier Group, gain valuable knowledge for your workplaces, and share it!" The BME innovation showplace then becomes an important platform for showing best-practice solutions and a wonderful opportunity to learn about the winner’s concept in detail, right on the spot, continued the acting chairman of the BME federal board.

First, a common vision is required for this, explained Christian Staab. The global purchasing area of the Dräxlmaier Group does not consider itself just an order writer, but more as a strategic partner on the same level, with a sustainable and holistic approach, leading the worldwide supplier network to peak performance.

To do this, the global purchasing area of the Dräxlmaier Group, with about 100 employees, defined the following strategic goals:

• Manage complexity by further standardizing global processes
• Expand the strategic supplier portfolio management
• Manage innovation at the interface between purchasing and development
• Increase added value
• Assure high quality standards
• Sustainably improve purchasing performance
• Internationally promote talents and skills

"With our global procurement strategy advanced concept, we have successfully aligned ourselves with these goals, both internally and externally," said Staab. The global purchasing area is therefore in a position to completely manage the complex market environment. However, they do not want to rest on their laurels, so they are searching for additional innovative solutions, in order to be well positioned in the future as well.

The participants in the BME innovation showplace received less strategic but just as exciting glimpses into the renowned tooling and prototype area at the Dräxlmaier Group in Vilsbiburg. After that, the purchasing experts were given a plant tour at Landau a. d. Isar. At this lower Bavarian site, Dräxlmaier produces automobile center consoles, and delivers them in-sequence to the production lines of a major German premium OEM.