Deployment of Proof of Concept in 10 days to improve direct material sourcing, increasing profitability

Massy, France 17 March , 2021 – Ivalua, a leading provider of global Spend Management Cloud solutions, and CKS Benelux today announced that Punch Powertrain has successfully deployed Ivalua’s platform to support the digital transformation of the strategic sourcing process. The platform was configured and suppliers onboarded in less than 2 months to deliver rapid value in the sourcing of direct materials.

The Belgium-based automotive supplier, specialising in sustainable and affordable propulsion system solutions, deployed Ivalua’s platform in September 2020 for the sourcing of components for the DT2 program, within the company’s Joint Venture operations: Punch Powertrain PSA e-transmissions.

The Strategic Sourcing modules of Ivalua allow Punch Powertrain buyers to define Purchasing needs collaboratively, consolidate the tendering documents and ease costing by suppliers (cost breakdown files, dialogue with the projects on technical feasibility). This greatly increases the company’s agility, allowing highly efficient purchasing operations. Ultimately, the buyer can efficiently compare offers and select the optimal supplier(s) according to a best value/best price logic or lower total cost of ownership. A reverse auction can be added to the process, managed by CKS as a trusted third party.

CKS Benelux, as a certified integrator and Ivalua partner in Benelux, configured the platform in just ten business days and helped buyers and suppliers during the e-sourcing and e-auction phases. This on-demand electronic sourcing service offering developed by CKS for over fifteen years is particularly popular within the automotive industry.

Juan-Carlos Flores Regla, CPO of Punch Powertrain: “CKS’ and Ivalua’s value proposition meets our strategic objectives: digitalise the tendering process, aim for the best purchase price and optimise the time spend of our buyers in this program – allowing them to focus on the essence. It is a true boost to efficiency and competitiveness in innovative sectors of the automotive industry to be able to rely on the expertise of experienced partners. We are very much looking forward to open a new chapter with Ivalua in 2021 by rolling out the Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) module together with supplier quality performance management tracking.”

Gabriel Giret, Head of Alliances EMEA at Ivalua: “We are developing our ecosystem of partners to provide business advice and value-added service around our preconfigured, direct-sourcing solution. We are delighted that Punch Powertrain validates this strategy and relies on the dual expertise of CKS and Ivalua”.

Pierre-Edouard Labbé, Managing partner at CKS Benelux: “The CKS Group companies are extremely proud to have delivered with a reduced lead time – as is always the case in manufacturing – their technical expertise on Ivalua together with precious experience of procurement needs within the automotive industry. The Ivalua solution empowers us to deliver value to CPOs throughout Belgium”.