International Commercial Project
Hutchinson
“We decided to set up the Purchasing University to build our function's professional skills and develop a common set of standards and tools.
We chose Cegos to be our partner in this initiative, which gives us the added advantage of being able to design new training modules to meet the demands of a fast-moving international market."
Pascale Garois, Purchasing Department - Hutchinson Group
Business need
Through its four core businesses - vibration, acoustic and thermal insulation; sealing systems; transmission and mobility and fluid transfer systems - Hutchinson Worldwide has become the partner of choice for the world's top industrial groups. Its expertise, innovation and skill are used within sectors such as aerospace, transport, defence, car and truck manufacturing and energy.
With more than 35,000 employees across 23 countries, it is a truly global concern – and needed a fresh approach to training its purchasing staff that would reflect that. The Hutchinson Purchasing University was set up to serve three purposes: provide skills to meet new needs; raise the international purchasing community’s skills to a professional level, and develop collaboration internally. A key goal was to unite the network of 300 Hutchinson buyers around a common set of standards, and maintain consistently high levels of skills on a lasting basis.
Solution
Cegos was approached to develop this exciting international commercial project with Hutchinson, developing an entire curriculum to meet their needs. Bespoke content was designed for 21 modules delivered in four languages, and more than 100 training sessions have been organised to support it all over the world – including Europe, the USA, China and South America.
Active learning allows best practice to be presented in workshops, and Cegos have worked with the client throughout the long-term partnership to maintain an innovative and creative approach to ongoing development – staying alert to emerging trends and changes within this fast-moving sector, and developing modules that respond to them.
Business benefits
This bespoke global project has resulted in the increased professionalisation of the company’s purchasing team, building skills and ensuring a consistent and high-quality approach. Buyers are using the same tools and techniques, their skills have been sharpened, and the purchasing process has been clarified across the organisation.
The training encourages dialogue and feedback on markets, suppliers and issues specific to the purchasing community, resulting in the creation of a fully-fledged group purchasing network.
Certain modules are also open to non-purchasing staff, such as legal, finance and sales people, which has led to improved cohesion and communication across the whole business.