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Strategic buyer André: ‘I have the freedom to draw my own lines’
After 2.5 years at Gpi, he has found his footing, but he could say ‘no’ a little more often. André Renes started at Gpi in 2022 as a strategic buyer in a newly created role within the organization. In this position, he is responsible for purchasing all materials and services for tank construction and process equipment. With over 16 years of procurement experience, he was given the opportunity to shape this role himself and harmonize processes across the different companies within the Gpi Group.
André talks about his work and the importance of strategic procurement: ‘As much as 60% of all the necessary materials for building tanks and process equipment is purchased. This means that a well-structured procurement policy has a huge impact on both the costs and the quality of the final product. I conduct many analyses, monitor consumption and inventory, and make strategic purchases to ensure we obtain materials under favorable conditions.’
A significant part of his job involves negotiating framework agreements with suppliers. ‘Such contracts establish agreements on stock levels, price stability, and payment terms. This ensures that our projects run smoothly,’ André explains. Additionally, he oversees the technical buyers and works closely with project managers and suppliers to ensure the right materials are delivered to the right location on time.
What makes Gpi special?
André studied logistics & economics with a specialization in supply chain management. He then worked at large companies such as Eriks, Ballast Nedam, and BAM. However, he experiences a smaller organization like Gpi as a positive change: ‘What I love about Gpi is that you find the same collegial atmosphere everywhere. Despite the company’s growth, it still feels familiar and personal. At my previous employers, I sometimes had thousands of colleagues, but I only knew a handful of them. Here, it’s much more personal. And Gpi takes good care of its employees. Plus, you can directly see the results of your work when the tanks leave the production hall for transport. That was one of the reasons I chose Gpi.’
What does the job involve?
André regularly checks stainless steel coil prices, supports the technical buyers, negotiates with suppliers, and looks for ways to optimize the procurement policy. ‘We are working on further professionalizing the procurement department. There is more collaboration between buyers across our different companies. This allows us to learn from each other and build more knowledge. We also have more long-term projects, which means we need to plan ahead and make strategic choices regarding centralized procurement within the Gpi Group. In the past, purchases were only made after an order from the work preparation department. Now, we are increasingly planning on a larger scale and bundling procurement across different locations.’
Challenges
André faces challenges in his work daily: ‘One of the major challenges is international procurement. There is a lot of competition from abroad, including from other tank manufacturers. In the coming years, the challenge for us is to make smart business decisions and adopt a tactical procurement approach to remain competitive. Additionally, sustainability is becoming increasingly important. We are exploring options such as using recycled stainless steel and reducing emissions from our suppliers. We are now more accountable for the sustainability of the entire supply chain.’
He also sees challenges in his personal development: ‘I am easily approachable and find it difficult to say no. As a result, I sometimes remain too involved in operational matters when I actually want to spend more time on long-term strategies.’
Future
With his extensive procurement experience, André plays a key role in Gpi’s continued growth. In the coming years, he aims to focus more on strategic policies and expanding framework agreements. André explains: ‘We have serious growth ambitions. This means procurement must grow accordingly and have the right resources, such as better automation and data analysis. There is strong support for professionalization, and I want to contribute to that in the coming years. At previous employers, the organizations were so large that I mainly had to color within the lines. The great thing about Gpi is that we get to draw those lines ourselves.’
