PHOTO: DANNY SANTOS II
OFF SINGAPORE: Oil barrels are delivered to a customer from a launch boat.
deliveries. The dynamic nature of our business in a demanding global economy means that the roles of procurement and supply chain professionals are vital to future success.’ GPS is benchmarking its own performance with how other multinational shipping companies conduct procurement. Many buy goods and services for millions of dollars. We have found that they: 1. Take a strategic approach to managing their procurement, supply chains and suppliers. 2. Work towards or have standardization of commonly used goods and services. 3. Have high performing procurement departments with relatively little or no other procurement activity other than their own. Best practice companies invest significantly in developing and maintaining long-term supplier relationships. They fully utilise eSourcing systems for supportive monitoring of contracts, suppliers and spend performance. Typically, their emphasis is not on squeezing supplier profit margins, but on sharing information to reduce costs for both parties. GPS seeks to influence and promote “better buying” decisions meeting value-for-money, low cost sourcing, reliability and supplier performance considerations. ‘We are committed to optimising our business relationships with ethical, environmental and socially responsible vendors.’ Carl lists his customer’s central procurement’ principles:
• ACHIEVING greater savings and added value through supply chain innovation (reduced lead time, delivery/freight costs etc.). • MAINTAINING eSourcing systems and processes that promote optimum probity, transparency and ethical performance across all business dealings. • SECURING global supply chains for goods/ services through planning what we buy and when we need it. • TAKING a corporate-wide strategic approach to leverage our buying power and manage it in the best overall interests of our company and customers. • WE ARE COMMITTED to protecting the environment and strive to integrate the principles and practices of sustainable and responsible procurement for all goods/ services to improve resource- and energy efficiency.
‘THERE IS NO DOUBT that our future success and procurement mandate will be measured on the alignment of our business objectives and strategies. The time is right. Our board and management teams have been briefed on our strategic procurement direction. Customers are expecting improvements, as do GPS and our dedicated suppliers. Procurement services certified to international standards will attract new customers and increase customer loyalty,’ says Carl Jansma confidently.
GPS Global Procurement Services at Wilhelmsen Ship Management is responsible for managing several hundred Global Framework Agreements and processing in excess of 100 000 purchase/invoice transactions from 6000+ premium suppliers on behalf of WSM’s customers. GPS 39 procurement professionals work either at the Kuala Lumpur head office (supporting Asia region) or in Mumbai (supporting UK/US & Europe regions).
I AM GUIDED BY THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BETTER OUR SERVICE AND OFFERS ARE, THE BETTER WILL OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CUSTOMERS AND SUPPLIERS BECOME. CARL JANSMA WWWORLD 2 2014 53