Arne Zühlke - Managing Director and Shareholder

Q: Where is Arne based?

Arne is based in Tangstedt, Germany and can operate in on-site , hybrid , and remote work models.

Q: What languages does Arne speak?

Arne speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), Spanish (Advanced) .

Q: How many years of experience does Arne have?

Arne has at least 32 years of experience. During this time, Arne has worked in at least 6 different roles and for 4 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 5 years and 3 months . Note that Arne may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Arne's latest experience?

Arne's most recent position is Managing Director and Shareholder at ARNESS GmbH & Co. KG .

Q: What companies has Arne worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Arne has worked for ARNESS GmbH & Co. KG .

Q: Which industries is Arne most experienced in?

Arne is most experienced in industries like Manufacturing , Professional Services , and Automotive . Arne also has some experience in Aerospace and Defense .

Q: Which business areas is Arne most experienced in?

Arne is most experienced in business areas like Procurement and Purchasing , Project Management , and Supply Chain Management . Arne also has some experience in Product Development , Production/Manufacturing , and Logistics .

Q: Which industries has Arne worked in recently?

Arne has recently worked in industries like Professional Services .

Q: Which business areas has Arne worked in recently?

Arne has recently worked in business areas like Procurement and Purchasing , Project Management , and Supply Chain Management .

Recommended expert

Tangstedt, Germany

Experience

May 2018 - Present

7 years 10 months

Tangstedt, Germany

Managing Director and Shareholder

ARNESS GmbH & Co. KG

Founded the company as a holistic consulting firm focused on procurement and supply chain
Managed the company's commercial operations
Digitalized and automated work steps to cut process costs
Led optimization projects
Connected German companies with overseas manufacturers to achieve shorter delivery times and lower procurement costs
Organized B2B meetings between international companies
Researched sourcing markets (Best Cost Country) for producing complex welded assemblies
Took on interim management mandates

May 2015 - Apr 2018

3 years

Head of Supplier Development & Internal Consulting

Kroenert GmbH & Co. KG | ZAE – AntriebsSysteme GmbH & Co. KG (ATH Gruppe)

Led a team of 42 employees
Managed strategic, cross-company projects
Led workshops on process improvements
Selected and rolled out a new group-wide ERP system
Developed a structured, forward-looking supplier management system for the entire group
Created a complex rating and evaluation system for supplier selection and control
Pushed for more international procurement in strategic sourcing markets to reduce costs
Expanded the network with associations and international chambers
Represented the group with expert presentations at conferences at home and abroad in German and English

Apr 2007 - Apr 2015

8 years 1 month

Head of Purchasing

Kroenert GmbH & Co. KG | ZAE – AntriebsSysteme GmbH & Co. KG (ATH Gruppe)

Led the purchasing team of 10 employees both functionally and disciplinarily
Strategically transformed purchasing into an agile and flexible unit aligned with corporate goals, including budget planning and accountability
Reduced purchasing lead time from an average of 15 working days to under 5 days by optimizing processes and developing employees
Supported the professional and personal growth of team members
Scheduled staff work to match the highly variable workload in special machine engineering, from short-time work to 60% overtime
Took over and integrated purchasing from BMB AG (Switzerland) at the central site in Hamburg
Enforced the group's legal and contractual claims domestically and abroad
Secured regular savings in the high six-figure range through negotiations
Planned and delivered various construction projects on budget

Sep 1999 - Mar 2007

7 years 7 months

Strategic Purchasing

E.C.H. Will GmbH (Körber-Gruppe)

Led a team of 5 in a specialist role
Designed and negotiated contracts for the company and Körber Group
Evaluated, audited, and selected suppliers in electronics, electrical engineering, telecom and IT, and construction services
Achieved regular savings in the six-figure range through negotiations, new suppliers and products, and optimized processes
Increased contract compliance rate by 10–15% per year and reduced maverick buying
Ensured highest data accuracy for faster and smoother processing
Managed IT purchasing (hardware and software)
Served as key user for the SAP R/3 rollout, focusing on MM as well as FI/CO and SD modules
Acted as central contact for IT in purchasing
Trained working students, new hires, and trainees
Participated in Körber Group's leadership development program (06/2005–10/2006) with training in Germany and the USA on self-management, team management, leadership, and performance management
Led a development project (01/2005–04/2006) coordinating the subprojects in sales, development, purchasing, prototype construction, and assembly with internal staff and business partners from several companies in Germany and the USA (about 20 team members)
Negotiated and concluded complex cooperation agreements
Supported customers and prospects, including printing companies in Germany and a US government agency

Aug 1995 - Sep 1999

4 years 2 months

Dual Study / Working Student

E.C.H. Will GmbH (Körber-Gruppe)

Received practical training and completed projects during a dual study program
Gained basic training in metalwork (turning and milling), technical drawing, and electropneumatics
Worked and trained in all commercial and technical areas of the company
Completed project work on relevant practical challenges

Aug 1994 - Jul 1995

1 year

Jagel, Germany

Basic Military Service, S4 (Supply and Logistics)

Reconnaissance Wing (AG51) Jagel (Air Force)

Completion of basic military service in supply and logistics (S4)
Support of logistical processes and procedures within the wing

PMO

Multi-project management with 12 sub-projects for an electronics group with several production sites in Germany and Hungary (automotive, mechanical engineering, consumer electronics)
Measures to massively reduce inventory
Planning in SAP R/3
Implementation of S&OP
Creation of a KPI dashboard

Project Management

Implementation of PSI V9.3 as an ERP system (replacing AMS++) in a mechanical engineering group with multiple locations
Conducting requirements analysis with various departments
System selection decision
Coordination and planning of the implementation and conducting workshops
Coverage of production, purchasing, sales, and logistics areas

Project Management

Development of an integrated digital printing machine in mechanical engineering
Coordination of the international project partners, suppliers, and the pilot customer
Overall responsibility for development, sales, prototype construction, and procurement

Project Management

Internationalization of the supplier base for a sales agency in mechanical engineering
Conducting a requirements analysis
Supplier selection
Onboarding of new suppliers

Project Lead & PMO

Developing and implementing a digitalization strategy for a retail group (consumer electronics)
Significantly reducing manual tasks
Creating interfaces between the internal SAP system and logistics service providers and partners
Implementing EDI invoicing for customers
Analyzing and automating processes
Introducing new software and tools, including HR (Personio), project management (TOPO), finance (LucaNet), interfaces (LobsterData) and DMS (DocuWare)

Sub-Project Lead

Implementing a DMS system in a mechanical engineering company
Conducting requirements analysis for procurement
Preparing the selection decision
Supporting the implementation in procurement and purchasing

Industries Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time. Longer bars indicate deeper hands-on experience, while shorter ones reflect targeted or project-based work.

Experienced in Manufacturing (22.5 years), Professional Services (8 years), Automotive (3 years), and Aerospace and Defense (1 year).

Manufacturing

Professional Services

Automotive

Aerospace and Defense

Business Areas Experience

The graph below provides a cumulative view of the freelancer's experience across multiple business areas, calculated from completed and active engagements. It highlights the areas where the freelancer has most frequently contributed to planning, execution, and delivery of business outcomes.

Experienced in Procurement (26.5 years), Project Management (18.5 years), Supply Chain Management (11.5 years), Product Development (4 years), Production (4 years), and Logistics (1 year).

Procurement

Project Management

Supply Chain Management

Product Development

Production

Logistics

Skills

Office: Very Good User Skills, Trainer
Erp: Sap R/3: Key User, Trainer, Implementation
Erp: Sap Businessone 10.0: Key User, Trainer, Consultant, Redesign
Erp: Ams: Very Good User Skills, Key User, Redesign
Erp: Psi 9.2: Key User, Project Lead For Implementation
Visualization: Visio, Bizagi, Aris, Freemind
Sql: Basic Knowledge
Automation: Lobster Data, Alphabots, Ai

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Spanish

Advanced

Education

Apr 2002 - Apr 2004

Nordakademie gAG

MBA, International Marketing and Business Communication · MBA program (part-time) · Elmshorn, Germany

Oct 1997 - Dec 1997

Universidad de Almería

Study abroad semester · Bachelor's in Business Administration and Management · Almería, Spain

Aug 1995 - Sep 1999

Nordakademie gAG

Diploma in Business Administration (FH) · Business Administration (dual study) · Elmshorn, Germany

...and 1 more

Certifications & licenses

Axelos Professional Scrum Master Ii

Prince2

Scrum.org Digital Business Innovator

Six Sigma Black Belt

SSCD / ASQ Supplier Auditor

Profile

Created

November 2024

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have questions? Here you can find further information.

Where is Arne based?

Arne is based in Tangstedt, Germany and can operate in on-site, hybrid, and remote work models.

What languages does Arne speak?

Arne speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), Spanish (Advanced).

How many years of experience does Arne have?

Arne has at least 32 years of experience. During this time, Arne has worked in at least 6 different roles and for 4 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 5 years and 3 months. Note that Arne may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Arne be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Arne would be well-suited for roles such as: Managing Director and Shareholder, Head of Supplier Development & Internal Consulting, Head of Purchasing.

What is Arne's latest experience?

Arne's most recent position is Managing Director and Shareholder at ARNESS GmbH & Co. KG.

What companies has Arne worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Arne has worked for ARNESS GmbH & Co. KG.

Which industries is Arne most experienced in?

Arne is most experienced in industries like Manufacturing, Professional Services, and Automotive. Arne also has some experience in Aerospace and Defense.

Which business areas is Arne most experienced in?

Arne is most experienced in business areas like Procurement and Purchasing, Project Management, and Supply Chain Management. Arne also has some experience in Product Development, Production/Manufacturing, and Logistics.

Which industries has Arne worked in recently?

Arne has recently worked in industries like Professional Services.

Which business areas has Arne worked in recently?

Arne has recently worked in business areas like Procurement and Purchasing, Project Management, and Supply Chain Management.

What is Arne's education?

Arne holds a Master in MBA program (part-time) from Nordakademie gAG and a Bachelor in Business Administration (dual study) from Nordakademie gAG.

Does Arne have any certificates?

Arne has 5 certificates. Among them, these include: Axelos Professional Scrum Master Ii, Prince2, and Scrum.org Digital Business Innovator.

What is the availability of Arne?

Arne is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Arne?

Arne's rate depends on the specific project requirements. Please use the Meet button on the profile to schedule a meeting and discuss the details.