Behiç Sarıoğlu / HeidelbergCement Group Procurement Manager MENAT (Middle East/North Africa & Turkey)
Michael Mayer / Global Procurement Leader for Investment Projects in HeidelbergCement’s Group Procurement Organization
“We see our suppliers as partners because only together can we master the challenges. This was always our approach, but it is even more important in such a difficult and uncertain market situation that we are facing right now. We want to be the leader in the industry on the path to carbon-neutrality, and for these ambitions, we need strong partners to help us drive this transformation”
Can you tell us about the Global Sourcing Office in Turkey recently commissioned by HeidelbergCement, one of the biggest cement makers in the world?
Besides the Global Sourcing Office in Turkey, HC runs Global Sourcing Offices in China and India that support HC’s Global Sourcing Approach. This shows how important the Turkish market is for HeidelbergCement. The Offices act as an interface between ‘HC’s worldwide operations, the HQ, and the local supplier base. Turkey was always a very important supplier market for HeidelbergCement but we want to develop and establish long-term relationships with our suppliers, and this will be underlined by our local presence. This is fully supported by the whole Global Procurement Team and Managing Board, and we are convinced that this also increases our purchase volume in Turkey in the long run. This includes not only Capex but also Opex and Services.
Can you give us general information about HeidelbergCement’s presence and activities in Turkey?
Besides our newly established Sourcing Office in Istanbul, there is also Akçansa, a joint venture of Sabanci Holding and HeidelbergCement, which was founded in 1996. The company is the leading producer of cement, clinker and ready-mix in Turkey. Operating in the Marmara, Aegean, and Black Sea regions of Turkey, Akçansa produces cement at its Istanbul, Çanakkale, and Ladik plants, and operates 7 cement terminals. The company also produces ready-mixed concrete at 26 ready-mixed concrete plants under the “Betonsa” brand. Furthermore, HeidelbergCement Trading (HCT), the trading-arm of the HeidelbergCement Group, has its offices in Istanbul to support our customers worldwide in Trading, Shipping, and Trade Operations.
I am global procurement leader for investment projects in ‘HeidelbergCement’s group procurement organization in the HQ, Heidelberg. In this role, I ever had close cooperation with Turkish suppliers. Now, together with Behic as our single Point of Contact in Turkey, I want to do the sourcing and supplier development process in Turkey in a more structured way to bring the cooperation with Turkish suppliers to the next level. Michael Mayer
You will proceed with a procedure that will link manufacturers and suppliers. What sort of working process will you employ?
We see our suppliers as partners because only together can we master the challenges. This was always our approach, but it is even more important in such a difficult and uncertain market situation that we are facing right now. We want to be the leader in the industry on the path to carbon-neutrality, and for these ambitions, we need strong partners to help us drive this transformation.
I have a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Istanbul Technical University, and have been working as a procurement expert and manager in various industries ever since. Behiç Sarıoğlu
What are the company’s opinions and approaches regarding Turkey and its surrounding areas?
Turkey belongs to the Group Area of AEM(Africa-Eastern Mediterranean Basin) within the HeidelbergCement organization. It is obvious that Turkey, with its outstanding supplier market, is the place to be to serve our other locations in this Area with in total 15 countries. But we ‘don’t want to leave it with the AEM region only. We see Turkey as a very attractive supply base that will bring a huge benefit to each of our operating countries in the HeidelbergCement Group. This includes Europe, Asia-Pacific, and North America. On the other hand, the Istanbul office should also act as the first point of contact for all our suppliers in the whole MENAT region.
What qualities do you look for in the vendors you work with as a business?
We expect the same high standard from our suppliers that we are offering to our customers. The best quality, commitment, competitiveness, flexibility, dedication, supportive service, big picture thinking, fairness, and for sure, compliance. All these attributes are our key criteria for a long-term relationship.
Why did you choose to make such an investment while both the world and local economies are still in crisis? What is the meaning of the Turkish market for HeidelbergCement?
For sure, it is not the best market situation right now. After the Corona Pandemic, we now see a war on-going in Europe which was inconceivable a few months back. The Sourcing Office in Istanbul will help us to overcome this crisis and give us more flexibility in our supply chain.
We expect the same high standard from our suppliers that we are offering to our customers. The best quality, commitment, competitiveness, flexibility, dedication, supportive service, big picture thinking, fairness, and for sure, compliance. All these attributes are our key criteria for a long-term relationship.
How will you define your objectives and plans for the upcoming period?
Our focus is creating a reliable network and long-term relationships with our suppliers. This network will be the source of the next developed supplier generation, and we are next to them to have a chance to evolve and be ready for the new chapter of the cement industry. We will work together to build our future.
