From 8th to 10th November 2021, BME partnered up with the European Innovation Council to organise an online event dedicated to pitching activities in light of their 56th Symposium on Purchasing and Logistics. Integrated in the EIC ePitching Procurers day, ten EIC-backed SMEs presented their innovative solutions plus networked with CPOs, Heads of Procurement and Senior Supply Executives alike.
After the event, we had the chance to meet with two representatives from the procurers’ side that are part of the BME network, Selin Richter (Head of Global Purchasing at Nanogate Management Services) and Michael Mayhaus (Head of Procurement at Amazonen-Werke) to provide us with some insights.
When asked about their role within the company Selin Ritcher explained that she’s responsible for “all aspects related to purchasing – we’re an automotive company producing plastic parts for the exterior and interior of cars. From operational to strategic budgeting, I mostly take care of everything related to procurement”. On the other hand, Michael Mayhaus explained that he’s the “Head of Procurement at Amazonen-Werke. The company has had an extensive and fruitful exchange with our supplying companies throughout the years, and we’re a medium-sized supplier of agricultural machinery”.
The motivation to join forces with the EIC for the Procurers day with BME? They both stated similar and positive aspects. Selin Ritcher said: “It’s a possibility to touch base with startups to scale up new technologies and understand what the current trends in the business are. [Also], what tools are available in the market and what potential ones might be coming up”.
Michael Mayhaus mentioned that it’s always good to “attend these EIC events, so whenever there’s a chance, you should be part of these types of initiatives and the rest will be done by the EIC”.
When asked about what mindset and skills they’re looking for in companies, Selin Ritcher stated that the “automotive industry is very special. There’s a lot of dynamics involved, and we need partners who understand this environment. There’s a very strict process landscape, and in this context, we want someone bold to come in and say they understand the business but wish to challenge the status quo and use unconventional approaches. While always possessing a valuable combination of hard and soft skills that makes them a valuable partner”.
Michael Mayhaus stated that: “Our approach is to seek long-term and intensive relations to jointly achieve optimum efficiency and quality in the supply chain for our customers. It must be someone willing to openly exchange information and cooperate in line with our business principles”.
With this in mind, both see benefits/advantages in working with the EIC and its portfolio of SMEs. In Selin Ritcher’s opinion, “SMEs coming in without limitations in their mindset attitude, is a refreshing thing”. For Michael Mayhaus: “[The] EIC is a good partner and platform for us to get a selected and broader range of companies – especially when it comes to small and medium-sized ones. The fact we can also have access to a diverse set of SMEs that are based in several parts of Europe is a plus”.
Were they able to find any interesting opportunities in companies funded by the EIC? Both replied positively. Selin Ritcher said: “It’s super valuable to not have to do market research and look after companies, so it’s a matchmaking situation that helped us find solutions. There’s one from this last event we will definitely get in touch with”. While Michael Mayhaus stated: “For sure. As mentioned before, there was a huge range of companies at the event, so if you exchange deeper insights with them, you can select some as well. Some companies had good topics to present and to be honest, we’re already in contact with a few of them and this is something being reviewed by our colleagues from the group of procurement. So, this is very helpful”.
Are you looking for opportunities to connect with some of the largest procurers in Europe? Keep a close eye on our events calendar and the EIC Community for upcoming events throughout the rest of the year.
DISCLAIMER: This information is provided in the interest of knowledge sharing and should not be interpreted as the official view of the European Commission, or any other organisation.