Author: Kloepfel

Optimization goals exceeded Parcel Broker GmbH has specialized in shipping jewelry, watches, valuables and other valuables for over 15 years. The company ships around 150,000 parcels per year on behalf of more than 1,500 customers such as jewelers, goldsmiths, jewelry and precious metal dealers. Sascha Hagedorn, Managing Director of Parcel Broker GmbH, talks about his experiences in the purchasing optimization project carried out together with Kloepfel Consulting. He describes the challenges of transporting valuable goods and reports how the cooperation developed into a friendship. What exactly does Parcel Broker do? Parcel Broker ships valuable items such as coins, watches and…

HWWI Commodity Price Index increases further in May HWWI overall index rose by 8 % (US dollar basis) Crude oil prices increased by 4.8 % Sawn wood prices rose by another 33 % (Hamburg, June 4, 2021) The HWWI Commodity Price Index rose by an average of 8% in May compared to the previous month and exceeded the corresponding value of the previous year by 111%. The rapid recovery of the global economy and particularly thestrong upward trend of the Chinese economy are currently ensuring high demand for commodities. As a result, price increases were observed in almost every major…

Since the beginning of 2021, price increases are at 70% Manufacturers of plastic packaging are currently struggling with various adverse effects. Prices are rising in all segments, including plastics. In addition, shortages are exerting additional pressure. A fifth flash survey was conducted among the members of the IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen in May. This clearly shows the extent of the problems facing the industry. Price increases have reached 70 percent since the start of 2021, while rising transport and logistics costs are also weighing on the market. IK CEO Dr. Martin Engelmann emphasizes, “The situation in the industry is and will…

Rising prices despite economic upturn The economy is currently experiencing a major upswing – but wholesale prices are rising rapidly. Such a sharp increase was last recorded in July 2008. The Federal Statistical Office announced that already in May prices were about 9.7 percent higher than a year ago. In March, there was an increase of 4.4 percent and in April of 7.2 percent. Corona pandemic as trigger The impact of the Corona pandemic is responsible for this increase. At the beginning of the Corona crisis, various prices dropped sharply, hence the high increase. Likewise, increases in import and producer…

Paralyzed world trade and rising freight rates The port of Yantian of the southern Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen is experiencing handling difficulties. The reason is strict corona measures due to rising infection rates around Shenzhen. Days of delays The ports of Shekou (Shenzhen) and Nansha (Guangzhou) are also currently experiencing handling difficulties, according to a recent article in the Deutsche Verkehrs-Zeitung (DVZ). According to the article, following the Suez Canal crisis, there is already another significant disruption in maritime supply chains. The F.A.Z. even titles its corresponding article “Mega traffic jam paralyzes world trade”. It says that half of the…

GUYA: Logistics power for the energetic tea business! High energy unites! Because it does not only fit the Kloepfel motto “We don’t talk, we implement!”, but also the vitalizing caffeinated Guya tea of GUYA – Guayusa-GmbH from Berlin. In Kloepfel Magazine we reveal the secret of the power plant from Ecuador compared to coffee and why the vigilance-giving producer relies on the experts of Kloepfel 4PL Solutions GmbH for the entire logistics handling. Guya: The power tea has a more sustainable and healthier effect than coffee Guayusa is the most caffeinated leaf in the world! The effect of the caffeine…

HWWI Commodity Price Index remains almost unchanged in April HWWI overall index rose by 0.9 % (US dollar basis) Crude oil prices fell by 1.1 % Sawn wood prices rose by 13 % (Hamburg, May 17, 2021) The HWWI Commodity Price Index remained almost unchanged in April compared to the previous month, rising by only 0.9 % on average. The index was thus 138 % higher than its value in April 2020, when the first global lockdown led to an extreme decline in commodity prices. Nevertheless, commodity prices were also influenced by the global Corona pandemic last month. In particular,…

Interview with Michael Ulverich, COO Koenig & Bauer. Dipl.-Ing. Michael Ulverich, COO of the Würzburg-based printing press manufacturer Koenig & Bauer, is an expert in corporate transformations. In an interview with Kloepfel Magazine, he provides insights on the role of purchasing in transformation processes, the cooperation with Kloepfel Consulting and his assessment of the crisis as an opportunity. The interview was conducted by Kloepfel senior partner Alexander Hornikel. Mr. Ulverich, how do you assess the current situation of manufacturing companies in Germany? You must look at the situation at least in two parts: On the one hand, there are manufacturing…

How to secure packaging supplies and negotiate prices Across all industries, there is currently a historic price explosion due to a shortage of raw materials – this also affects plastic-based packaging materials. Frank Anneken, Senior Manager at Kloepfel Consulting, provides information on the causes and possible courses of action. What developments do you currently see in the plastics market? Prices for plastics (PP, HDPE, LDPE and PA) are at an all-time high due to severe shortages, while fluctuating wildly. We experience this volatility directly in tenders: In some cases, up to a third of suppliers are refusing to submit a…

Mastering supplier audits on remote Visiting key suppliers on site should be a matter of course: Be it initially to select the right partner, for regular quality control or capacity checks prior to a new major order. In addition, many industries are currently showing how important good supplier relationships are for their own security of supply. Travel is only possible to a limited extent. So what can be done? Kloepfel Senior Partner Thomas Wandler reveals how the audit can be carried out on remote. Mr. Wandler, what are the occasions for supplier audits? During qualification and/or approval of a new…

Sonova acquires Consumer Electronics Audio specialist Sennheiser, known for its headphones, is divesting its consumer division. This division, called “Consumer Electronics” by the long-established company, is being taken over in its entirety by the Swiss hearing aid supplier Sonova. Der Spiegel and Handelsblatt report a purchase price of 200 million euros. Sennheiser had already announced in February that it would focus on the Professional segment in the future and look for a partner for the Consumer Electronics segment. Joint brand umbrella As Sennheiser’s press release states, the Sennheiser brand will remain. Thus, regarding the partnership with Sonova, Sennheiser writes: “Both…

German companies show strong competitiveness Anton F. Börner, President of the German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services Association (BGA), says that the situation of German foreign trade is at pre-crisis levels. He also emphasizes the strong competitiveness and flexibility in dealing with special circumstances that German companies have demonstrated by finding their footing again despite the special circumstances. According to the Federal Statistical Office, goods worth 126.5 billion euros were exported in March. Compared to the previous year, exports increased by 16.1 percent. German imports also rose by 15.5 percent year-on-year to 105.9 billion euros. With these figures, the foreign…

Traditional company achieves technological breakthrough The IT corporation IBM has succeeded in producing a 2-nanometer chip. Until now, it was considered impossible or simply too expensive to produce such a small chip. According to IBM, this chip will house up to 50 billion transistors on an area the size of a fingernail. Possible advantages of 2-nanometer chip technology The technology company cites an expected 45 percent increase in performance for the new chip compared to a 7-nanometer chip. In addition, energy consumption is expected to be 75 percent lower. In concrete terms, this means a possible quadrupling of the battery…

Against price increases and shortages! 1. Tip: Tap alternative suppliers 2. Tip: Use weaker phases for optimization 3. Tip: Maintain supplier relationships systematically 4. Tip: Probe hidden overcapacities in the market 5. Tip: Global sourcing is not equal to China sourcing 6. Tip: Competitive advantage through standardization 7. Tip: Use networks of associations and purchasing consultants In times of raw shortages sourcing is the number 1 topic for many buyers. While some suppliers can hardly save themselves from orders, others have lost reliable customers as a result of the crisis. Kloepfel partner and sourcing expert Thanh Duy Tran reveals how…

How companies are securing electronic components now German SMEs have been hit hard by the current shortage of raw materials, and electronic components are also at a peak in demand. We talked to Jörg Menkhaus, senior manager at Kloepfel Consulting, about the market situation, the causes of the price explosion, and short- and long-term strategies for securing supplies. What does the current market situation or supply situation look like for which electronical topics? Economic performance in Asia and the U.S. was surprising last year, with strong growth in Asia and at least not as weakened in the U.S. as it…

HWWI commodity price index rises moderately in March HWWI overall index increased by 3.2 % (US dollar basis) Crude oil prices rose by 5.8 % Nickel prices drop by 11 % (Hamburg, April 13, 2021) The HWWI Commodity Price Index rose by an average of 3.2 % in March compared to the previous month. The index thus exceeded its previous year’s value from March 2020, at the beginning of the first global lockdown, by 82 %. All three sub-indices for energy raw materials, industrial raw materials, as well as food and beverages continued to rise on average in March but…

Thanks to Chinese market, global economy experiences upswing The gross domestic product (GDP) of China clearly shows that the economy has almost overcome the effects of the Corona pandemic. In the first quarter of this year, a record growth of 18.3 percent, year-on-year, was recorded. This is the highest growth since measurements began 30 years ago. Thanks to China, the global economy is experiencing an upswing, as it did during the 2008 global financial crisis, and global companies operating in the Chinese market have recently seen high sales. Foreign trade strengthens most A large part of the growth was strengthened…

Purchase for nearly $20 billion Microsoft is buying Nuance Communications, a speech recognition and artificial intelligence (AI) specialist. In doing so, Microsoft says it is advancing its cloud strategy for healthcare. The purchase price cited in Microsoft’s press release is the sum of $19.7 billion, including net debt. Thus, it is the second largest acquisition in Microsoft’s history. About five years ago, the IT group paid $27 billion for the career network LinkedIn. The acquisition, announced Monday, is still subject to approval by competition authorities. Microsoft wants to complete the purchase process in the course of this year. After that,…