Procurement optimisation for private equity
Maximising EBITDA growth and exit value through professional procurement: Procurement optimisation is the quickest and most effective lever for immediately increasing the profitability of portfolio companies. We identify untapped return potential, professionalise the procurement organisation, and achieve measurable cost reductions โ for significant value enhancement in the shortest possible time.
Portfolio Value Enhancement: Strategic Procurement Optimisation for Private Equity
In the holding phase, every percentage point of margin counts. While revenue increases are often time-consuming and fraught with risks, optimising direct and indirect costs has an immediate impact on results. We support PE firms and management teams in developing procurement from an administrative function into a strategic value driver. We focus on a pragmatic โhands-onโ approach that not only delivers concepts but also guarantees implementation right down to the P&L.
Key Facts about our Expertise:
- Quick EBITDA effects: Realising quick wins within the first 3 to 6 months.
- Transparency & Reporting: Building valid spend analyses as a basis for management decisions.
- Professionalisation: Transformation of purchasing through the implementation of modern processes and digital tools.
- Portfolio Synergies: Bundling requirements across different portfolio companies to achieve economies of scale.
- Enhancing exit readiness: Creating a scalable and transparent cost structure that maximises enterprise value upon divestment.
Private Equity Value Appreciation
Private Equity: Doubling the Enterprise Value of Your Portfolio Companies
With approximately 50% of revenue share, purchasing represents the most significant earnings factor in companies. If it is possible to Purchasing costs om 8% to reduce, the company result can be increased by up to 50% in a short time. With an average leverage share of approx. 50%, the company value can thus be doubled within 12 months through purchasing optimisation measures.
Investment companies are keen to use Kloepfel Consulting's services because these value-creation effects for the portfolio are important to them. Furthermore, private equity firms appreciate Kloepfel Consulting's 100% success-based fee model. If we don't save money, we don't earn a fee. We regularly provide support during due diligence with analyses on the evaluation of savings potential in procurement and supply chain. If the company is acquired, we guarantee the realisation of the analysed potential in the form of a joint project. In this way, our industry teams quickly recover large parts of the purchase price in the form of increased earnings.
Excellent as BEST ADVISORS โ 11th time in a row
Example Project Outcome (anonymised)
Processed material groups, among others.
Logistics, including courier services, IT, telecommunications, printer management, energy (electricity, gas), auditing, tax consulting, insurance, office supplies, personnel services, printed materials
Example Project Scorecard
Project volume: 80 million Euros
Managed volume: โฌ40 million
Project Team: 2 Consultants
Project duration: 8 months
Satisfied customers
โWe enjoy working with Kloepfel Consulting. Sustainable and comprehensive optimisations in the material share increase the value of our holdings.โ
โKloepfel Consulting impresses with fast and sustainably effective measures to increase company value.โ
โThe project result achieved together of over โฌ800,000 within the first 7 months has far exceeded our expectations and confirmed that we have found the absolute right partner in Kloepfel Consulting.โ
โThe result achieved of over โฌ1 million after just eleven months pleasantly surprised us and convinced us of your performance.โ
Would you like to learn more about the private equity sector, or do you have other questions about KLOEPFEL Consulting?
Convincing
References
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.
Eternit
Eternit AG manufactures energy-efficient products and systems for the exteriors of buildings. The company's portfolio includes, for example, roof tiles and corrugated sheets, constructions for building facades, as well as plaster carriers and wood cement boards. The high-quality Eternit products are used for both single- and multi-family homes, as well as for schools, universities, and agricultural buildings, among others. Various awards recognise the company's progressive and high-quality product design as well as its sustainability.
Stadler
Stadler builds rail vehicles that are cost-effective and tailored to customer needs. The company's trains are reliable and safe to operate โ with maximum travel comfort for passengers. The performance and economy of the products are continuously improved with state-of-the-art technologies.
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.
e.GO
On the RWTH Aachen Campus, e.GO Mobile AG is developing electric mobility that is particularly practical and affordable. Prof. Gรผnther Schuh, CEO of e.GO Mobile AG, and his production researchers are demonstrating in this way that Industry 4.0 entails highly iterative development processes, which make particularly cost-saving prototype and small-series production possible.
CLAAS
The European market leader in combine harvesters and global market leader in self-propelled forage harvesters also produces, amongst other things, tractors, grassland harvesting machinery, agricultural balers and innovative agricultural information technologies. The family company, founded in 1913, has sites in Europe as well as branches in America and Asia. The company's focus is on efficiency and responsibility for future generations.
Hirtenberger
The Hirtenberger Group is a collective of leading technology and engineering companies that can distinguish themselves as innovation and technology leaders in their respective markets. The group concentrates on niche markets, aiming for market leadership within them. The group covers a broad spectrum of business areas, ranging from the handling of pyrotechnics and chemicals through to the automotive and defence industries, and on to resource conservation in environmental technology.
Our industry expertise
Automotive
Retail
Mechanical and Plant Engineering
FAQ: Key Questions for Procurement Optimisation for Private Equity
Why is procurement the most important lever for PE investors?
As material and service costs often make up the largest part of total expenditure, every euro saved in procurement flows directly into EBITDA. With an assumed exit multiple of 10x, a saving of โฌ100,000 immediately leads to an increase in enterprise value of โฌ1 million.
How quickly can initial savings be realised?
Initial results (quick wins) are usually visible within the first 12 to 16 weeks. Our focus is on swift implementation that does not burden day-to-day operations.
Will the achieved effects be sustainable?
Yes. Our aim is not just one-off cost reduction, but to empower the organisation. We are implementing sustainable structures, optimising supplier contracts, and training local staff.
How do you handle portfolio companies in different industries?
Through our broad industry expertise, we can leverage specific benchmarks. We know what โbest-in-classโ is in the respective industry and tailor our strategies individually to the market situation of the portfolio company.
Do you also support bundling across the entire portfolio?
Absolutely. We identify product groups that can be consolidated across various holdings (e.g., logistics, energy, IT) to achieve significant volume advantages through cross-portfolio sourcing.