Author: Kloepfel
Framework agreement for the delivery of up to 250 locomotives Rail vehicle lessor Railpool and Siemens Mobility have concluded a framework agreement for the delivery of up to 250 locomotives. Siemens recently announced this. The Munich-based industrial conglomerate reported that with the signing of the contract, 70 locomotives of the Vectron series were immediately called off. With this order, Railpool’s Vectron fleet will grow to a total of 228 locomotives. Cross-border traffic According to Siemens, the framework agreement includes Vectron variants that enable cross-border traffic without changing locomotives. According to the press release, the locomotives can be used in up…
Report of the International Federation of Robotics The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) has released a report on the most important trends shaping robotics and automation in 2024 from their perspective. The IFR mentions that the global stock of industrial robots has reached a new record of around 3.9 million units. In their report, the IFR identifies five trends: – Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning – Cobots for new applications – Mobile Manipulators – Digital Twins – Humanoid Robots “The top 5 robotics and automation trends for 2024 show that robotics is a multidisciplinary field where technologies support each…
February Edition of Kloepfel Magazine Dear Readers, February’s issue of Kloepfel Magazine is dedicated to the success triangle of technical sourcing. This triangle of price improvements, cost engineering and technical matchmaking brings moon prices back down to earth, uncovers hidden cost eaters in products and protects you from supply bottlenecks. Read why these three levers are a win-win for you and your suppliers. In a case study, we look at the freight cost optimization of an internationally active mechanical engineering company. The project optimized logistics processes in the areas of air freight, sea freight and courier express parcel services (CEP)…
Win-win for you and your suppliers Price improvements, cost engineering and technical matchmaking are the big levers for bringing moon prices back down to earth, uncovering hidden cost eaters and protecting yourself from supply bottlenecks. As a rule, Kloepfel Consulting’s triangle of success results in savings of between 12 and 50 percent. Not only you do win, but your suppliers do too. Price improvements: Savings of between 3 and 9 percent The first lever is price improvements in strategic purchasing. The Kloepfel team compares and negotiates prices to identify savings. For direct costs, this amounts to 3 to 6 percent.…
Cost savings above expectations As part of a project to optimize freight costs together with Kloepfel Consulting, an internationally active mechanical engineering company was able to achieve high savings. The project covered air freight, sea freight and courier express parcel services (CEP). This case study clearly shows that there is considerable potential for savings in logistics. Initial situation As is very often the case with companies, the mechanical engineering company had established business relationships in the area of logistics. Despite all the advantages, this had the disadvantage that in some cases no structural and regular price negotiations were carried out.…
Transitioning Procurement and Supply Chain Management into the Digital Era In today’s business world, digital technologies are indispensable in procurement and supply chain management. However, it’s not enough to introduce new tools here and there. Digitizing procurement requires a holistic transformation that engages people. Digital technologies like AI, machine learning, and Big Data significantly enhance process efficiency and effectiveness. They enable transparency through precise real-time data analysis and improve supplier and risk management. The challenge in implementing these novel key technologies lies in integrating them into existing processes and structures of a company. A successful digital transformation requires not only…
HWWI-Commodity Price Index continues to decrease Commodity prices have fallen sharply since their peak in summer 2022 (see figure). From its peak in August 2022, when the index stood at almost 400, the HWWI-Commodity Price Index halved by the beginning of 2023. Since then, it has fluctuated around a value of 175. After commodity prices rose again in autumn last year, they have fallen noticeably in the last three months. A particularly sharp decline was observed in December 2023, when the index fell by as much as 6.5 % compared to the previous month. In January 2024, the HWWI-Commodity Price…
Senior Procurement Consultant (f/m/d) www.kloepfel-karriere.com Procurement Consultant (f/m/d) www.kloepfel-karriere.com Junior Procurement Consultant (f/m/d) www.kloepfel-karriere.com
Survey by the Ifo Institute: Supply Chain Adjustments and Inventory Strategies The Munich-based Ifo Institute has surveyed German companies on how they are restructuring their supply chains after the COVID-19 pandemic to minimize potential disruptions. The prevailing strategy among most companies is diversification. In the past year, 58 percent of the surveyed companies expanded their supply chains and found new suppliers. One-third of the companies plan to further expand their supplier base. Ifo researcher Andreas Baur explains: “Despite the significant decline in supply chain disruptions and material shortages last year, the restructuring of supply chains in the German industry is…
Decrease in December 2023 by 1.6 percent compared to the previous month According to preliminary data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), real production in the manufacturing sector decreased by 1.6 percent in December 2023 compared to the previous month. Compared to December 2022, production in the manufacturing sector is 3.0 percent lower. Destatis reports that production from October 2023 to December 2023 was 1.8 percent lower than in the previous three months. Overall, production in 2023 decreased by 1.5 percent compared to 2022. Energy-Intensive Industries and Energy Generation Significant declines were observed in energy-intensive industries and energy generation. In…
Fully Automated High-Bay Warehouse at the Production Site in Otrokovice Continental recently inaugurated a fully automated high-bay warehouse at its tire production site in Otrokovice, Czech Republic. With this facility, the tire manufacturer, according to its own statements, centralizes its local warehouses in the Otrokovice area, thereby improving Continental’s logistics processes. At the same time, the company also reduces its CO2 emissions. Sustainable Logistics, Environmentally Friendly Supply Chain During the grand opening of the building, Bernhard Trilken, Head of Production and Logistics for Continental’s tire division, stated: “Sustainable logistics is key to a resource-efficient and environmentally friendly supply chain.” Continental…
Marc Kloepfel and Duran Sarikaya “Every company needs its Minister of the Future” In this interview, Marc Kloepfel and Duran Sarikaya, Managing Directors of Kloepfel Consulting, take stock of the year 2023 and talk about stable supply chains, technology leadership and future ministers. What particularly characterized Kloepfel Consulting in 2023? Marc: In 2023, there were significant changes at Kloepfel Consulting Germany in order to respond to a changing world and prepare our customers for the future. To this end, we expanded our management team. Since last summer, our long-standing Senior Partners Alexander Hornikel and Thanh-Duy Tran have been Country Managers…
Expansion of the logistics sector to strengthen the economy Sebastian Krings has been responsible for all logistics topics within the Kloepfel Group since May 2017 and has now been appointed Senior Partner. In his new position, he is further expanding the logistics division of Kloepfel Consulting, having already achieved significant success within the consulting firm. By expanding its logistics services, the management consultancy aims to sustainably strengthen the economy in these challenging times. Krings, who holds degrees in both engineering and industrial engineering, began his career at the world’s third-largest printing ink manufacturer. In this role, he managed operational and…
Strategies for a stable financial course Author: Ardi Shala, Partnership Manager Germany at iBanFirst Currency risk is an inevitable part of international business. Companies operating in different countries face the challenge of managing exchange rate fluctuations that can affect their profits. In this article, we take a look at the causes of currency risks before exploring effective strategies to hedge against them. Causes of currency risk Currency risks mainly arise from fluctuations in exchange rates between different currencies. Factors such as economic uncertainties, political events and interest rate differences influence the strength of a currency and can lead to considerable…
Senior Procurement Consultant (f/m/d) www.kloepfel-karriere.com Procurement Consultant (f/m/d) www.kloepfel-karriere.com Junior Procurement Consultant (f/m/d) www.kloepfel-karriere.com
Kiel Trade Indicator December 2023 The latest data from the Kiel Trade Indicator for the month of December 2023 suggests that the slightly negative trend in world trade could continue. The Institute for World Economics (IfW Kiel) cites attacks on container ships in the Red Sea in connection with the Middle East conflict as a possible cause. According to the recent report from IfW, global trade declined by 1.3 percent (price- and seasonally adjusted) from November to December 2023. The indicator values for the European Union show significant declines in both exports (-2.0 percent) and imports (-3.1 percent). Diversion of…
Trade Surplus of 20.4 Billion Euros in November 2023 According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), exports in November 2023 increased by 3.7 percent compared to the previous month. However, compared to the same month of the previous year, exports decreased by 5.0 percent. Imports increased by 1.9 percent compared to the previous month but decreased by 12.2 percent compared to the same month of the previous year. In November 2023, German exports amounted to a total of 131.2 billion euros, while imports reached a value of 110.8 billion euros. This resulted in a positive trade surplus of 20.4 billion…
Reduction of CO2 Emissions through Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) DHL Express has enlisted Mytheresa, one of the world’s leading luxury e-commerce platforms, for its GoGreen Plus service. According to the logistics provider’s press release, the two partners have entered into a five-year contract for this purpose. This aims to reduce CO2 emissions by using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) instead of conventional aircraft kerosene. According to the press release, Mytheresa will invest a multi-million Euro participation amount in GoGreen Plus over a five-year period. This marks the largest investment by a DHL Express customer in Europe in this service to date.…