Magazine

Davide Meschini is a part of the Inoxa team since 2017 and plays a fundamental role in it. We interviewed him to understand what it means to be Purchase Manager and how he manages his daily yet future-oriented tasks.

1.    Could you tell us what’s your role and what are you main tasks?

   I’m the Purchase Manager for both Italian and foreign supplies; my main task is to plan the entire corporate procurement. Things as direct purchases (raw material, semi-finished products and all components needed to produce our items), through inventory analisis and sales forecasting; indirect purchases (like replacements for production machinery) and functional purchases (like stationery).
   
   Procurement is based on analizing, choosing and studying suppliers (also by visiting their companies here in Italy or even abroad). The reasons why a supplier is selected are very important: negotiation, economic offer, quality of the products/service, lead time. But what’s fundamental is that these paramenters must remain unchanged during the whole collaboration period, mantaining its high quality standard as initially agreed. I also deal with all negotiations with the forwarders who arrange our import shipments from abroad. I take part to the decision-making process that leads to selecting all characteristics of the products to buy and to the analisis of qualitative standards required by certified institutions.

2. Could you tell us how did you get here at Inoxa and how was your career path?

   I got here in 2017, after being a foreign buyer for 8 years in another company. I needed new sources of inspiration, new challenges. When I started working at Inoxa I was costantly around a colleague that was about to retire and the Sales Manager; that’s how I got to know the field with all its characteristics. I visited the factory to understand all production processes, their dynamic and possible problems. I also visited many suppliers to see how my orders were produced. After a few years, I was able to handle all the tasks by myself. Now I’m supported by a very valuable colleague of mine who I’m splitting tasks with. Together we try to make the best out of our work.

3. What does it mean to be Purchase Manager in a company like Inoxa?

   It means to be aware of having a fundamental role. The Purchase Department is strictly connected to all other departments inside the company. We work following two leading goals: an operative one, that aims at avoiding any kind of interrumption of production due to lack of raw materials; and a more strategic one, that tries to identify all opportunities to lower the costs. Of course, without giving up on qualitative standards.

4. When choosing a supplier, what does Inoxa value?

   Inoxa is costantly looking for reliable suppliers that offer the best products and services, according to our needs and with competitive prices. We are costantly in touch with many of them, and so we often end up building a partnership more than a common business relationship. They’re solid supporters that helped us grow and reach our current position; some of them have grown with us too. All these things together created a good working relationship that is useful in handling negotiations, supplies and problems that may be occuring.

5. What you like the most about this company is…

   I like that it’s a dynamic and stimulating enviroment that allows me to manage my job independently. Then also the daily contact with many suppliers, the collaboration with all other departments inside the company, the effectivess of all our projects that makes us stand up to an evolving market and demanding customers. That’s what makes Inoxa an excellent training ground both professionally and individually.

6. Is the an Inoxa product that you prefer?

   It’s hard to choose considering the huge variety of items we produce and their many functionalities; but if I had to name one I’d say the product that was designed when I started working at Inoxa. I’m talking about item 839 (COMPACT), a reversible mechanism for blind corners with full extension. I like it most in the IKONA finish, painted metal sheet with box-shaped baskets.

7. What are the main goals for 2024?

   Despite the biggest crisis in the market of raw materials that we have ever experienced so far, we grew a lot in the past few years. The cost of raw materials increased all over the world, as well as the cost of energy and transport. In addition, these raw materials were incredibly hard to find and that’s what made 2021 one of the most difficult years for the Purchase Department. Inoxa overcame the difficulties thanks to the collaboration among all departments and thanks to all its loyal suppliers.

   Inoxa goal is to keep growing and to always be prepared when new trends show up in the market. This grow will rise from the will of diversifying our products (in fact, we designed a new range for bedroom and bathroom) and from opening to new markets.