Each new supply chain relationship provides fresh opportunities to share knowledge and innovate to meet and exceed client expectations. We spoke to Simon McLeman, Managing Director at Bemo about the strong, successful and highly productive supply chain partnership that has developed between Lindner Prater and Bemo since their first collaboration in 2015.
1) Can you tell us a little about Bemo?
Bemo is the world’s leading supplier of Aluminium Standing Seam Roofing systems. As such, we are often chosen to supply to some of the most iconic buildings both in the UK and around the world.
As an engineering and design based company, we welcome the complex and difficult and enjoy working closely with project teams to deliver precision engineered products, ensuring we meet all the client’s expectations.
2) How long has Bemo been a supply chain partner of Lindner Prater?
We have been a key partner of Lindner Prater since 2015, when we started working together on some major infrastructure projects. Since then the relationship has grown considerably and we are proud to be associated with a variety of projects across all sectors.
3) How did the relationship between Lindner Prater and Bemo come about? What was the first project?
We first worked on the Gatwick Airport Pier 6. We were able to meet the stringent technical requirements for the project and support Lindner Prater with the design, engineering and logistics required to complete the project successfully.
4) What has been the project Bemo is most proud to have worked on with Lindner Prater and why?
We are proud of all the projects we have worked on with Lindner Prater as they all require different skill sets and an intelligent approach. Perhaps the most famous project is the new No.1 Court Roof at Wimbledon, which demanded close collaboration to overcome the challenges of a complex shape that required Bemo’s adjustable sub-structure to achieve the aesthetic expected by the client.
5) How do you work together on a day-to-day basis?
Communication, shared knowledge and an understanding of what each company does best. From the first project meetings to the final days on site it is vital that both companies recognise who has the knowledge and ability to best accomplish the task at hand and to work in a fully open and honest way.
6) Do you think the relationship between Bemo and Lindner Prater is a great example of how supply chains work together to benefit both parties?
Definitely, by working together and openly sharing knowledge and expertise, we are able to offer more than if we worked individually. This provides the optimum service for the client. This works particularly well with Lindner Prater and Bemo as our approach to the market is naturally aligned.
7) What does a good collaborative relationship look like to you?
A joint understanding of the requirements of the project, making sure the decision-making process takes into consideration all possibilities; including product specification, budgets, installation and logistics.
Collaboration is critical to ensure that each company considers what the other company can and can’t do and that there are no grey areas in the process about which company is responsible for which element of the process.
8) How important is trust within the supply chain to achieve industry-leading standards?
Supply chain agreements can’t function without trust. Often you are sharing sensitive information with each other and both companies need to know that its intellectual property is safe with its partners. It is also key that you can trust your partner to perform as expected, both company’s reputations are co-dependant on each other. Whether this is a manufacturer having the resource and planning to get the right products to site at the right time or a contractor understanding the product and having the training and experience to correctly install it.
9) How do you see the relationship between Lindner Prater and Bemo developing over the next few years?
The more we work together, the more we can explore what is possible. We expect Lindner Prater to challenge us to keep meeting the changing demands in its markets as they evolve and for our part we will look to innovate to meet these challenges. It will make sense for research and development to be a joint enterprise aimed at continually improving our combined offer. This should make us an attractive proposition to the wider market, which in turn should ensure that both companies continue to be successful.