Successful implementation of natural efficiency
Moving lecithin for over 200.000.000 bars of chocolate!
“At Sternchemie, we aim to offer high-quality and affordable functional lipid solutions and at the same time meet future requirements and standards. As requirements regarding storage, processing and filling of food ingredients have increased continuously in recent years, the focus on sustainability, energy efficiency, and ones CO2 footprint is becoming increasingly important. Above all, the safety and integrity of our goods are non-negotiable.” Dr. Roland Rabeler explains as the main drivers behind such a major project. So, in order to meet these needs and anticipate future requirements, the logical next step was to focus our efforts and consolidate our operations in the Netherlands inside the Dekker Group.
“We offer high-quality and affordable functional lipid solutions and meet future requirements and standards. Above all, the safety and integrity of our goods are non-negotiable.”
The two companies evaluated the current status quo and optimised processes and implemented structural changes were necessary to take the performance of Sternchemie and the Dekker’s systems to the next level.
Dekker and Sternchemie: Strongly matching partners
April 2024 marked the completion of this large scale project, which was mastered by the project teams. All hands on deck it said in early 2023, so the Sternchemie colleagues together with their counterparts from the Dekker Group took to the stands: Moving hundreds of tons of lecithin products over a short period of time without compromise in quality or service for our customers.
“Dekker is a matching partner in the field of tank storage services with a steadily growing set-up just outside Rotterdam. Taking our historical connection into consideration, it can be said, we are going back to where it all started.”
Having thoroughly evaluated our options for our future main storage partner, fully switching to Dekker was a choice for trust, efficiency and understanding our business. The existing know-how about food and especially handling of lecithin as well as their lab and equipment set-up, made Dekker the perfect match for Sternchemie. “Dekker is a valuable partner in the field of tank storage services with a steadily growing set-up just outside Rotterdam.”, says Henning Rüsch, Team Lead Supply Chain Coordination & Operations.
Even more so since Dekker and Sternchemie go back a long way. In the early 1980s, Volkmar Wywiol and Henk Dekker, started their logistic cooperation and combined the efforts of their family-owned businesses, each creating what were to become world leading companies in their fields.
Company signs of Dekker, Stern and Berg+Schmidt from the 1980s.
Team focus: What is best for our customers?
“Each team member always had the greater goal in mind: What is best for our customers?”
The biggest challenge during this project, was to keep day to day business unaffected and customer service at highest standards possible. Even tight deadlines and the overall unpredictable lecithin market situation with high requirements in flexibility on our side did not stop the team around project lead Svea Rahlf: „We had severe pressure due to the short time frame and still performing our daily operative business tasks, but each team member really put all heart into not only completing the tasks at hand but always had the greater goal in mind: What is best for our customers?!“
Besides providing trainings and development opportunities for the team, the project had positive „soft-side effects“ as well: The team members got to know the tasks of their colleagues even better and gained deep insights into each other’s way of working. The understanding for arising challenges and why processes are the way they are bases teamwork on respect and gives the great opportunity to think out of the box as well as detect ways for improvement. All this has made the team members grow as individuals but also grow closer as a team.
And this shows: On April 1st, the switch was completed as planned, with no perceptible effect for customers in their everyday operations. Moreover, the cooperation between us and our service partner Dekker has grown stronger and will continue to be beneficial to all parties involved. All in all, a success all down the line!
Great team work leads to even better results
„I am very proud to have such a reliable and competent team, that goes the extra mile for our cutomers and our business.“
Carsten Granso, Business Unit Manager of Sternchemie, has very high words for this remarkable performance: „Delivering consistent high-quality products and services starts with training and developing our people. I am very proud to have such a reliable and competent team, that goes the extra mile for our customers and our business. The will to learn and develop new skills is a key value at Sternchemie and the Stern-Wywiol Group and shows that with the right people with the right mindset in the right functions, we can make great things happen.“
Congratulations to both project teams of the Dekker Group and Sternchemie GmbH & Co. KG for such a sucess!
If you are inspired as we are, and feel we are matching partners, let us know and we will work out solutions together!