Procurement optimisation in mechanical and plant construction
Kloepfel Consulting achieves through specialised Procurement optimisation in mechanical and plant engineering significant cost reductions and strengthens the resilience of your supply chains. In an industry characterised by complex bills of materials, volatile raw material prices, and global dependencies, we safeguard your competitiveness through measurable results and an agile procurement strategy – directly and implementation-oriented.
KLOEPFEL Advanced Procurement is your lever for measurable procurement optimisation in mechanical and plant engineering.
Companies in mechanical and plant engineering are currently facing a variety of structural challenges. Volatile raw material prices make planning difficult, technological upheavals and new ESG requirements demand rapid adaptation, and dependence on a few suppliers entails additional risks. At the same time, unclear processes, a lack of digitalisation, and increasing regulatory pressure – for example, due to the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act – prevent efficient, resilient procurement. The result is unnecessary costs, declining flexibility, and strategic blind spots in purchasing.
Using Advanced Procurement methods, we support you in establishing second sources, digitising procurement processes, adapting supplier strategies, and making your purchasing organisation more resilient. Together, we secure supply, lower costs, and create transparency for better decisions.
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Optimise your procurement with tailored solutions
The advantages of KLOEPFEL Advanced Procurement:
Over 19 years of practical experience
We have over 17 years of practical experience in purchasing and supply chain management and operate across various industries, with particular expertise in mechanical and plant engineering. We understand the specific challenges in procurement and know how to successfully support you in this dynamic environment.
100% success-based - no risk for you
Are you active in mechanical and plant engineering and want to optimise your procurement? With no risk whatsoever? Then we are the perfect partner for you! With our 100% success-based model, we ensure that you only pay when we deliver tangible results for you.
Holistic support
We support projects from the outset and take responsibility through to implementation. Instead of just delivering strategies, we work operationally, from analysis and tenders to successful implementation.
Temporary colleagues
We see ourselves as temporary colleagues and provide purchasing advice on an equal footing. Our team consists of former department heads, purchasing managers, production planners, and engineers from the manufacturing industry. Instead of merely handing over strategies, we accompany you through the entire process, work pragmatically with you, and integrate directly into your team.
With KLOEPFEL Advanced Procurement for Maximising
- From the very beginning. We support you in project procurement and integrate ourselves from day 1 of product development to consider procurement strategies early on and set them up optimally.
- Holistic and in-depth analysis: We comprehensively and systematically consider purchasing and cost structures, procurement processes, and total costs in mechanical engineering.
- Technical Sourcing We analyse components based on technical specifications, cluster them by product groups, and identify the best-suited supplier for each category. This way, we find the technically and economically ideal component for every requirement.
- Out-of-the-Box Thinking We question existing procurement and thought patterns, develop unconventional approaches to solutions, and thereby create scope for innovative purchasing strategies with measurable added value.
- Technical Engineering: We provide support through cost calculations, value analyses, and the optimisation of product design and manufacturing processes.
- Matrix Formation We analyse and structure the existing procurement process using transparent evaluation matrices to identify weaknesses and enable well-founded, comparable purchasing decisions.
- Financial stability and risk minimization: We are analysing liquidity-increasing measures such as logistics concepts, discount potentials and framework conditions, as well as potential risk suppliers along the supply chain.
- Supplier screening and analysis: We are conducting a comprehensive analysis of existing suppliers and reviewing whether the correct criteria and analyses are being applied for supplier selection and evaluation.
- Detailed information All suitable suppliers receive relevant technical information and can therefore submit bids promptly and precisely for the tender.
- Success Triangle We analyse the customer's products and optimise the engineering process by adapting supplier methods without compromising on quality. Through our technical expertise, we directly reduce product costs. This is followed by tendering, where engineering, project work and sourcing work together perfectly to achieve the best results.
- Testing and Qualification of New Suppliers We thoroughly pre-qualify potential new partners according to the tried-and-tested Kloepfel Standards. In doing so, we ensure that all relevant quality, performance, and safety requirements are met in order to build long-term partnerships.
- Resource conservation By taking on the important preparatory work, we relieve your team, thereby helping to conserve resources effectively. This allows you to use time and capacity more efficiently.
- Scenario planning and supplier strategy: We develop tailored supplier strategy scenarios and define the long-term direction together with you. We take market trends, risks, and opportunities into account to create the optimal supplier structure for your needs.
- Supplementary support from the negotiations team: Our Negotiations team actively supports us in bilateral negotiations to achieve optimal results and efficiently represent all relevant interests.
- Support with transition and implementation: We'll support you through every step of the transition and implementation, ensuring seamless integration into your existing processes.
- Contract management We support you in concluding supplier contracts by considering all relevant business aspects and ensuring that the agreements are designed to be efficient and sustainable.
TYPICAL GOODS GROUPS
We typically process product groups such as sheet metal parts, turned and milled parts, cast parts, welded assemblies, control cabinet construction, drive technology, and electrical engineering. Our focus is on technically demanding components and manufacturing-relevant parts in mechanical and plant engineering.
A selection of product groups that we handle:
- Sheet metal parts
- Turned and milled parts
- Castings
- Welded assemblies
- Control panel construction
- Drive technology and electrical engineering.
Our Success Stories
Machining tools
Our client, a mechanical engineering company with a high degree of in-house manufacturing and multiple sites, faced the challenge of optimising the high procurement costs for cutting tools. Procurement was decentralised, leading to inefficient processes and higher costs.
The aim was in particular to reduce costs, bundle the requirements of all sites and improve manufacturing costs and machine running times. We were able to achieve a reduction in overall costs of 8.3% and reduce cycle times by 19%, while at the same time maintaining the tool life.
Turned and milled parts
Our client, a global market leader in measurement and control technology, manufactured recurring turned and milled parts that were installed in measuring instruments, in-house. Due to the uneconomical nature of this in-house production, a reduction in internal manufacturing was sought, and outsourcing was considered.
The aim was to optimise the costs for recurring turned parts, establish alternative suppliers and ensure reliable supply security. We were able to achieve savings of 61% and supply security was secured through alternative suppliers.
Gearmotors
Our customer, a world-leading manufacturer of special machine technologies, had been sourcing geared motors for the dosing of chemical substances from a single development partner for decades. Steady price increases could not be resisted due to a strong dependence on a monopolistic supplier with complete product know-how.
The goal was to reduce this dependency, establish a second source, and improve the cost structure. Through our work, we were able to achieve savings of over EUR 657,000 or 44% for 12 months and successfully qualify a second supplier.
Here's what our customers say:
„The tasks were implemented with a high level of technical understanding, in a practical manner, and to our complete satisfaction. As a result, savings were achieved that significantly exceeded our expectations.“
„It was important for our specialist departments that the quality standards were not negatively affected despite cost savings. Kloepfel Consulting succeeded very well in carrying out the project.“
„For Perrin GmbH, the collaboration with the Kloepfel Consulting team is ending „for the time being“. We would particularly like to emphasise the word „for the time being“, as we would be happy to return to your company at a later date to potentially carry out further projects with you.„
Your experts for procurement optimisation in mechanical and plant engineering
Our team in purchasing optimisation for mechanical and plant engineering consists of experienced practitioners from the manufacturing industry, including former purchasing managers, team leaders and production planners. Their in-depth practical experience ensures measurable savings and efficient procurement processes.
Theodor Uljanov
„By understanding manufacturing processes, material properties, and cross-industry experience, we achieve savings of up to 17%% – with the same quality and delivery capability.“
Manfred Esser
„With our many years of experience in construction and production processes, we are able to identify the optimal manufacturing technology and machine for producing the components according to the motto ‚right parts for the right machine‘. This leads to a feasible saving of over 21%.“
Trust our customers' satisfaction.
Windmöller & Hölscher
Windmöller & Hölscher is the global market leader in machine engineering for flexible packaging. With German engineering expertise and a spirit of innovation, the company shapes sustainable packaging solutions.
Brückner
Brückner is shaping the future of plastics processing with high-tech equipment. For decades, the name has stood for innovation, sustainability, and partnership on an equal footing.
Homag
Homag is a leading provider of machines and software for timber processing. With an innovative spirit and precision, Homag shapes the future of craftsmanship.
Desch
Desch leads the way in drive technology, embodying precision, reliability, and progress. For generations, this family-owned company from Arnsberg has been developing solutions that power machinery across the globe.
Semikron Danfoss
Semikron Danfoss is driving the power electronics of the future. The company stands for energy efficiency, sustainability, and technological excellence.
Gehring Technologies GmbH
Gehring Technologies is a producer of customised system and process solutions for individual requirements in the metalworking industry. The company has been active in this field since 1926 and has over 90 years of experience in precision. The focus of its work is on honing technology and laser structuring, which Gering is constantly developing further. In addition to Germany, the company is also active in China, Brazil, Mexico, India, the USA, France and the UK.
Vaillant
With its headquarters in Remscheid, the Vaillant Group is dedicated to its areas of expertise in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technology. The internationally active family-owned company produces and develops tailored products, systems, and services for domestic living. These include, for example, heating devices based on conventional energy sources or system solutions for using renewable energies. The Vaillant Group is committed to responsible action towards the environment, employees, and society, and places great importance on sustainability.
Applied Materials
Applied Materials is driving the future of electronics and renewable energy with innovative materials and technologies. The company stands for progress, precision, and sustainable solutions that make our world smarter.
Optimise shopping efficiently, quickly, and sustainably.
"I am happy to be available for a no-obligation consultation on procurement optimisation in the mechanical and plant engineering sector."
FAQ: Important Questions on Purchasing Optimisation for Mechanical and Plant Engineering
What savings potential does purchasing optimisation offer in mechanical and plant engineering?
By bundling requirements, optimising the supplier portfolio, and using technical cost engineering, we achieve average savings of between 5 % and 15 % in the relevant product groups.
How does Kloepfel Consulting handle complex Bills of Materials (BOMs)?
We analyse your bills of materials down to the component level. Through standardization and „design-to-cost“ approaches, we reduce the variety of variants and complexity, which directly leads to lower procurement prices and reduced warehousing costs.
How is supply capability ensured in volatile markets?
We are establishing proactive risk management and diversifying your supplier base (multi-sourcing). This way, we minimise dependencies on individual regions or suppliers and secure your production, even in times of crisis.
What role does digitalisation play in the purchasing process?
We support you in implementing modern e-procurement tools and AI-powered analyses. The goal is a transparent „source-to-pay“ process that reduces operational costs and enables strategic decisions based on real-time data.
When does the cost of external purchasing consultancy pay for itself?
As a rule, our investment is refinanced within the first 6 to 12 months through the realised savings (ROI guarantee). We work on a results-oriented basis, so your risk remains minimal.