Bilfinger – Urgent Support for a Service-Oriented Customer

Technical service provider Bilfinger carries out, among other things, routine and breakdown maintenance in the process industry. In this sector, production downtime is extremely costly. Whenever replacement parts are required, speed is always essential. At itsme, they are well accustomed to handling such urgent requests. “We excel at responding to our customers quickly. When necessary, we search the entire market to find the right solution.”

Bilfinger is a leading technical service provider specializing in engineering & consultancy, as well as services for new construction, renovation, and maintenance. The company helps customers across a wide range of industries by promoting efficient and sustainable solutions. Bilfinger Netherlands, part of a global organization, operates from several locations, including Geleen at the Chemelot chemical industry site.

“We carry out a great deal of maintenance work there for chemical companies,” says Jordie Kevers, Project and Team Lead for Electrical & Instrumentation. “We cover everything related to electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, high-voltage and low-voltage systems, so our activities are very broad. This includes routine maintenance, where the aim is to keep the customer's production running as much as possible. We repair and replace motors, pumps, valves, cables, lighting—whatever is required. We also regularly participate in major shutdowns, where a plant may be out of operation for several weeks and as many as 1,000 to 2,000 specialists from various disciplines are involved in maintenance, renovation, and possible expansion.”

Added Value

For the supply of electrical materials, Bilfinger has relied on itsme for many years. According to Frank Aussems, Account Manager at itsme in Maastricht, the partnership is a close one. “I spend one day a week at Bilfinger's office to support Jordie and his colleagues.” Kevers explains that the technical departments of Bilfinger's customers—where they still exist—often already have a relationship with itsme. “But even when customers work with another technical service provider, we can still collaborate with itsme. In principle, our customers do not prescribe a specific supplier.”

“Many orders are delivered directly to the specific project site rather than to our own location.”

The deliveries are characterized by significant added value. For example, with only a brief interruption, itsme has been providing Vendor Managed Inventory services to Bilfinger for fifteen years. Kevers: “At our location, they manage a 2BIN warehouse; they monitor and replenish the stock for maintenance and service. For major projects, we purchase materials separately, and itsme delivers them directly to our customer’s site, because otherwise the materials would have to be transported again. And here at Chemelot, a large site with many factories, they deliver many orders not to us, but directly to the specific project, even for smaller projects.” itsme also delivers directly to Bilfinger projects across the border in Belgium and Germany, Aussems adds. “For example, we had a project in Belgium where we set up an inventory system in a container. Bilfinger employees scanned the inventory and sent the scans to us; we brought the materials there and stocked the container.”

Simple and Complex Matters

According to Kevers, Bilfinger can essentially turn to itsme for anything. “The straightforward requests, but also the very difficult ones – we are essentially taken care of. If we have special drawings or need specific relays, they think along with us and look for solutions. And when there are urgent requests, they go all out. They find out where they can source the materials, regardless of where they come from, and arrange a courier if necessary. We are very happy with that; we don’t get this level of service from other suppliers.”

“We're essentially taken care of.

Aussems recognizes this description. “Bilfinger is a special customer for us. They are highly service-oriented, which means there is often a great deal of urgency when they need to resolve a breakdown or another issue for one of their customers. In the process industry, production downtime is extremely expensive, so materials often have to be delivered the same day or the next day. That certainly presents challenges. But responding very quickly to customers—searching the market if necessary and placing orders elsewhere, anywhere in the world—is one of our strengths. In principle, we provide this service 24/7, provided the product is available in our central warehouse or the manufacturer also offers a 24/7 service.”

Expansion and Recommendation

Kevers is very satisfied with the collaboration. “Our people have excellent contact with each other, and we know how to reach one another whenever needed.” Aussems is equally positive, although he sees opportunities for further expansion. “We're already well established at Bilfinger when it comes to electrical materials. We also do some business with our mechanical engineering division—we supply nuts and bolts and manage a small warehouse—but there is much more potential. Originally, we were an electrical wholesaler, and later we expanded into mechanical products. Not everyone is fully aware of that yet. That gives us room to grow together with Bilfinger in the future.”

Speaking of growth, maintaining the current level of activity is Bilfinger's primary focus for now, Kevers concludes. “The industries we serve are under pressure, partly because of high energy prices. Investments are lagging behind, many factories are operating below capacity or have already closed, and maintenance is limited to what is absolutely necessary. Our challenge is to identify where opportunities still exist and whether we can expand into other markets. And yes, itsme can help us with that as well. Frank also visits many other companies, and when they are looking for services that fit our expertise, he recommends Bilfinger.”

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