The Procurement Leaders Global Awards are the most celebrated and sought after awards in procurement representing the best initiatives, individuals and companies across the world. They reward the collective efforts of individuals and teams and are a vindication of the hard work, innovation and dedication of those at the forefront of this dynamic global profession. The list of judges reads like a Who’s Who? of international procurement doyennes and participating organisations are amongst the crème de la crème.

Weir Minerals can therefore be justifiably proud of its receipt of the 2014 Procurement Leaders Global Award for External Collaboration, in conjunction with Anglo American. The award, which closely follows the signing of a Global Framework Agreement between the two companies, underlines the giant strides that Weir Minerals Africa has made in developing and fostering an excellent supplier-customer relationship with Anglo American. Hanno Viljoen, Key Account Manager – Anglo American for Weir Minerals Africa, says that the basis of the company’s nomination was the efficiency and cost savings provided to Anglo American through new technology within a short space of time. The nomination highlighted the mutually beneficial relationship that both companies have developed. Craig Walters, the Global Category Manager at Anglo American who manages the Weir Minerals account, emphasises that for customer interaction to be fruitful, suppliers need to think outside the box and be able to change customer mind sets. This is especially pertinent in relation to the efficiency of products and the role they will play in creating profitability and sustainability for customers. Further focus is placed on lifecycle advantages and the ability to provide tangible savings on investment, maintenance and downtime, with a concurrent increase in productivity.

Viljoen says that the development of a credible and constructive two-way relationship revolves around a number of aspects, including gaining a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies of the customer’s business operation, coupled with common safety goals. “The latter is critical, since the industries in which we operate place a high premium on adherence to stringent safety standards and regulations. Our safety vision outlines a clear path on how we can work together to improve safety on site.”

Viljoen plays a critical role in ensuring that the interface between Weir Minerals and Anglo American is one that nurtures open lines of communication. “As a key account manager I am responsible for interpreting the needs of the customer and sharing these with the relevant teams at Weir Minerals Africa. This facilitative role becomes more entrenched and intricate as time progresses and the ability to anticipate and proactively meet expectations becomes easier to achieve.”

In addition to gaining a full understanding of customer issues and creating solutions that match these application requirements, the collaboration agreement has given Anglo American a greater understanding of the modus operandi of Weir Minerals Africa. “We hold regular discussion forums with our customers which allows us to set parameters and goals and to benchmark achievements,” says Viljoen. “By embarking on this project to change customer mind sets regarding the role that a supplier plays in the success of business outcomes, we have managed to prove to Anglo American that Weir Minerals Africa is more than just a supplier; we are in fact a business partner. This is an offering that we are prepared to extend to all our customers in order to maximise their cost savings and enhance their efficiencies,” Viljoen concludes.

PROCUREMENT LEADERS GLOBAL AWARDS PIC 01 AND 02 : David Rae, Chair of Judges and Procurement Leaders' Content & Community Director at Anglo, Craig Walter, the Global Category Manager at Anglo American who manages the Weir Minerals account, Rob Fawcett, Sales, Marketing and Engineering Director at Weir Minerals and Boris Becker former professional tennis player.