Supply Chain Agenda of Stefano Picasso from Siegwerk

Stefano Picasso

People are mostly creatures of habit, so changing behaviour can be a challenge. Stefano Picasso, head of global operations and supply chain management (SCM) for Siegwerk, one of the world’s leading suppliers of printing inks and varnishes for packaging applications and labels, worries that a change in behaviour and mind set might not be happening fast enough.

By Helen Armstrong

The family-owned company with headquarters in Siegburg near Cologne, Germany, has more than 65 global manufacturing and blending sites and employs 5,000 people in 30 countries. It still maintains its traditional values, shaped over 180 years, and is fully committed to sustainability and its responsibility towards employees, environment and society as whole. In the wake of the global crisis and to ensure it stays at the leading edge, it is undergoing digital transformation to help grow the business and enhance customer service. Picasso has been in his role for 18 months and he is making it his job to ensure that employees understand the need for a change and walk the talk, rather than just nod at the rhetoric.

What is your responsibility regarding the supply chain?

“It is my job to provide clarity and visibility on supply chain performance. I have responsibility for the overall supply chain strategy of our manufacturing facilities and blending centres around the world, so I focus on long-term solutions rather than the day-to-day business. Each site has a team made up of people responsible for plant management; engineering; product technology; lean operational excellence and quality. We work with this team and have regular contact in order to share experiences and develop, define and train on best practices. My team also acts as a governance body for new SCM Capital Expenditure and I am business process owner for relevant IT projects.”

What is the strategy of the company: Operational Excellence, Product Leadership or Customer Intimacy?

“We develop specific products and services for printing operations that require high product quality and high service levels, so our focus is very much Customer Intimacy. However, while we want to meet all our customers’ needs, it is not at any cost. Manufacturing had become too complex and with it the risk of being inefficient, especially when dealing with low cost commodities. We now need to restore the balance which we do by way of a differentiation strategy. This can lead to disappointment internally because our technologists like the challenge of developing products for everyone, but in the end we have to remain profitable.”

What are the main business challenges that drive supply chain projects at the moment?

“The biggest challenge is… … …

Read the full article in Supply Chain Movement 28 | Q1 – 2018

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