Hartmut Schalk - Owner

Hamburg, Germany

Experience

Apr 2019 - Present

6 years 4 months

Hamburg, Germany

Owner

Hanseatic Procurement Consulting

Cost reduction programs across the entire value chain
Holistic organizational development of purchasing and procurement
Restructuring and outsourcing of organizational units
Category management
Interim management

Oct 2017 - Sep 2019

2 years

Hamburg, Germany

Head of Purchasing Non-Production Materials

Körber AG

Responsible for purchasing all goods and services for Körber Holding
8 team members (corporate category manager, senior buyer); €330 M purchasing volume (focus: IT hardware/software, logistics, HR services, travel/mobility, CapEx)
Oversaw company-wide consolidation via a council

Jul 2016 - Feb 2017

8 months

Hamburg, Germany

Sr. Director Procurement Engineering

Philips Medical Systems GmbH Hamburg

Responsible for global strategic purchasing for a Business Innovation Unit (X-ray tubes and generators)
20 staff at 5 sites (GER, CHN, USA, NL); €150 M purchasing volume
Implemented cost-saving programs using the Design-for-Excellence process
Managed all project-related supplier activities for worldwide R&D projects

Apr 2015 - Jun 2016

1 year 3 months

Hanau, Germany

Head of Purchasing

Heraeus Holding GmbH Hanau

Technology and precious metals trading company, 12,500 employees, €17 B sales
Responsible for global strategic purchasing activities for 3 global business units
25 staff at 11 locations (GER, CHN, USA, CH, SGP); €120 M purchasing volume
Completely realigned purchasing as part of centralization; defined and built strategic procurement

Apr 2010 - Mar 2014

4 years

Dessau-Roßlau, Germany

Chief Procurement Officer

IDT Biologika GmbH Dessau

Biotech vaccine manufacturer, 1,100 employees, €160 M sales
Full responsibility for all company procurement processes (strategic/operational/planning)
Full purchasing realignment as part of restructuring; defined and built strategic procurement
Advanced material group management
12 team members, €100 M purchasing volume
Focus on total cost optimization and compliance

Feb 2009 - Mar 2010

1 year 2 months

Hamburg, Germany

Head of Global Processes Methods and Tools

Conergy AG

Solar system manufacturer, 1,700 employees, ~€1 B sales
Company-wide responsibility for defining and optimizing all strategic procurement processes
Defined, implemented, and continuously improved process landscape, role models, and tools
Defined and implemented key performance indicators, harmonized reporting and controlling processes

Feb 2009 - Mar 2010

1 year 2 months

Frankfurt an der Oder, Germany

Head of Purchasing Conergy Solar Modules Frankfurt/Oder

Conergy AG

Solar system manufacturer, 1,700 employees, ~€1 B sales
Responsible for all procurement activities at the site
4 team members (commodity managers), €200 M purchasing volume
Focus on aggressive cost reduction and initial build-out of procurement organization
Ensured long-term availability of key materials (e.g. silicon)

Feb 2006 - Jan 2009

3 years

United States

Director Purchasing

Siemens Medical Solutions U.S.A. Inc.

Responsible for full material management process (strategic, operational, planning) for Molecular Imaging Division
25 staff (commodity managers, planners/buyers, advanced procurement engineers) at 2 sites; $300 M purchasing volume
Focused on integrating an acquired company (former CTI Knoxville)
Complete reorganization based on Siemens ‘World Class Purchasing’ methodology

May 2004 - Jan 2006

1 year 9 months

Erlangen, Germany

Director Commodity Management

Siemens AG

Worked in Power Generation Group, corporate purchasing Erlangen
Responsible for company-wide demand bundling of manufacturing materials
10 staff (corporate commodity manager, sourcing specialists) at 5 sites (GER, USA, PL, CHN); €500 M purchasing volume
Focus on demand bundling, global sourcing, and managing sub-suppliers
Built lasting bundling organization (business-case based, process-driven)
Coordinated group-wide global sourcing activities

Jan 2003 - Apr 2004

1 year 4 months

Berlin, Germany

Director Purchasing

Infineon Technologies AG

Worked in Fiber Optics Division Berlin
Responsible for global strategic procurement activities of the division
10 team members at 3 sites (GER, CZ, TWN); €65 M purchasing volume
Focus on sustainable cost reduction, global sourcing, target costing
Implemented procurement engineering concept

Nov 1999 - Dec 2003

3 years 2 months

Erlangen, Germany

Sr. Manager Purchasing

Siemens AG

Worked in Medical Solutions Group, Customer Service Division Erlangen
Responsible for global strategic spare parts procurement for installed medical equipment base
5 staff at 2 sites (GER, USA); €300 M purchasing volume
Complete organization rebuild based on ‘World Class Purchasing’ methodology
Focus on supplier management, long-term contractual supplier commitment, and supply chain management

Nov 1997 - Nov 1999

2 years 1 month

Chemnitz, Germany

Purchasing Manager

Siemens AG

Worked in Automation & Drives Group, Chemnitz plant
Responsible for plant purchasing at Chemnitz site
7 team members; €70 M purchasing volume
Managed sub-projects as part of restructuring
Focus on interface management with corporate strategic procurement and outsourcing of manufacturing services

Apr 1995 - Oct 1997

2 years 7 months

Berlin, Germany

Buyer

Siemens AG

Worked in Semiconductor Fiber Optics Berlin
Responsible for strategic purchasing of all electronic components (ICs, PCBs, hybrids, passive parts)
€10 M purchasing volume
Focus on global sourcing, time-to-market, and quality management

Oct 1992 - Mar 1995

2 years 6 months

Berlin, Germany

Sales Representative

Siemens AG

Worked at Berlin/Leipzig branch
Sales controlling and contract management
Commercial project handling for large-scale telecom systems

Germany

Definition of a flexible SCM concept in a highly volatile market environment

Context: Subsidiary of a mid-sized group (1,700 staff, €1 B sales) in Germany (solar)
Task: Ensure high-volume availability of silicon wafers with minimal cash exposure
Outcome: Created and successfully implemented a cost-risk-based hybrid procurement concept (optimized mix of frame agreement, in-house production, spot-buy);

Definition and institutionalization of a group-wide bundling organization

Context: Division of a large corporation (20,000 staff, €10 B sales) (power)
Task: Maximize bundling level of manufacturing materials
Outcome: Project-based handling of 18 categories (~€500 M purchasing volume) based on agreed business cases; realized €32 M savings; established corporate category managers with global mandates for 8 categories

Director Purchasing & Logistics

Context: International private university (education)
Task: Professionalize procurement and logistics processes
Task: Build strategic procurement function
Task: Implement new ERP system, automate catalog purchases (“no-touch”) with multi-stage approval workflow
Outcome: Current mandate

Rollout of company-wide e-catalogue solution with no-touch ordering process

Context: Mid-sized company (1,100 staff, €160 M sales) (pharma)
Task: Significantly boost procurement process efficiency
Outcome: Automated catalog purchasing (“no-touch”) with multi-stage approval workflow and credit memo handling; eliminated all manual orders (40% of total volume)

United States

Indirect Materials Procurement Campaign

Context: US headquarters of a large Swiss corporation
Task: Quickly deliver results for HR services and software licenses ($80 M)
Outcome: Hosted supplier day with 12 key suppliers; reduced billing factors, management fee, and VMS service fee ($850k)

Germany

Procurement projects in a 2-year restructuring

Context: Manufacturing unit (500 staff, €70 M sales) within a German corporate group (system business, automation)
Task: Quickly improve cost position to regain competitiveness
Outcome: Reduced material costs by €2.5 M via preferred supplier program, maximized internal bundling, outsourced mechanical prefabrication; outsourced and moved panel assembly to CZ; design-to-cost redesigns

Germany

Design of strategic spare parts procurement as a company-wide pilot solution

Context: Central service organization of a sector (6,000 staff, $1.8 B sales) within a German corporation (medical equipment)
Task: Design and implement strategic procurement
Outcome: Successfully rolled out all key processes in Germany and USA; ensured spare parts supply and supplier performance; improved global 4PL distribution network performance; implemented ship-to-stock concept to cut packaging effort (-€1.5 M)

Integrated procurement campaign for total cost reduction

Context: Mid-sized company (1,100 staff, €160 M sales) (pharma)
Task: Generate additional margin from materials through first-time category strategies
Outcome: Created business cases for 14 categories (direct and indirect); reduced material costs by €2.5 M; successfully established cross-functional sourcing teams

Cost reduction program for manufacturing and indirect materials

Context: Mid-sized wheel and caster manufacturer (600 staff, €90 M sales)
Task: Plan and execute integrated procurement campaign
Outcome: Reduced material costs by €1.7 M via tactical negotiations, managing sub-contractors, and supply chain optimizations

Germany

Cost reduction program for indirect materials

Context: Germany division of an international rail vehicle builder (900 staff, €300 M sales) (system business, rail vehicles)
Task: Negotiation initiative with key IT hardware/software suppliers (€51 M)
Outcome: Cut costs by €2.6 M; created and implemented a master-vendor concept

Lead Buyer CapEx Procurement

Context: Manufacturing site of an Asian vaccine maker (pharma)
Task: Independently award construction, sub-contractor services, and production equipment
Outcome: On-time, on-budget contracting for over 20 complex trades (budget > €60 M)

Head of Procurement Department

Context: Mid-sized wheel and caster manufacturer (600 staff, €90 M sales)
Task: Interim head of procurement department (9 staff)
Outcome: Ensured material availability, optimized inventories, developed and implemented staffing concept

Germany

Rebuild of procurement department, aggressive cost-down initiative

Context: Subsidiary of a mid-sized group (1,700 staff, €1 B sales) in Germany (solar)
Task: Ensure profitability and liquidity despite drastic price drops (~30% p.a.)
Outcome: Built strategic procurement; reduced material costs by €17 M; implemented broad productivity measures across operations

United States

Post-merger integration of a US company

Context: Division (2,000 staff, $1.2 B sales) of a US-based corporation (medical equipment)
Task: Full integration of procurement organization, process standardization, SAP rollout
Outcome: Raised organizational maturity by 2 levels (per World-Class Purchasing methodology); delivered $65 M savings in 3 years)

Sr. Sourcing Manager

Context: Entity in German banking industry (banking)
Task: Professionalize procurement processes
Task: Conduct complex tenders for software engineering contracts
Outcome: Restructured tender process, renegotiated several software service contracts, delivered on time and to specs for multiple software projects

Sr. Sourcing Manager

Context: Solar business unit of a German energy producer (solar)
Task: Develop and execute procurement strategies for PV components and IT services
Task: Build procurement processes
Task: Recruit and train staff
Outcome: Timely awarding of 4 categories (budget > €30 M); ensured material availability despite allocation

Germany

Complete reorganization of purchasing and procurement at a German mid-sized company

Context: Mid-sized company (1,110 staff, €160 M sales) (pharma)
Task: Adapt materials management to strong growth and rising demands from internationalization
Outcome: Professionalized procurement function; established strategic category management; introduced GMP-compliant processes; launched supplier quality engineering; significantly increased inventory turnover

Summary

Experienced procurement director with strong negotiation and assertiveness skills, international and cross-industry (automation, medical, pharma/biotech, solar, power, infrastructure, banking)
Strong execution capability, above-average analysis and design skills, versatile intercultural leadership in large corporations and mid-sized companies, solid process understanding including SAP-MM rollout
IT and controlling savvy
Many years of experience in strategic category and supplier management, global sourcing, contract management, sub-contractor management, design-to-cost for up to €300 M purchasing volume
Additional expertise in supply chain management and international service logistics
Proven success in restructuring and integration projects