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SOCOMORE shares its feedback on the data management aspects of project management related to the deployment of the Oxalys SQM solution.

As part of its digital transformation strategy, SOCOMORE has chosen to include the procurement scope in order to implement a software solution dedicated to supplier relationship management, enabling the structuring and enhancement of procurement data. Testimonials from Elizabeth Henocq (Purchasing Manager) and Benoît Marcesche (Digital Officer).

A specialty chemicals formulator, Socomore is a French mid-sized industrial company offering a wide range of products in the fields of surface preparation and treatment, paints, and sealants used in critical and demanding industries such as aerospace, automotive, and rail. With revenue exceeding €100 million in 2023, the SOCOMORE Group aims to double in size within five years, notably through external growth, and is relying on the quality of its supplier relationship management to help achieve this ambition.

Case study - Socomore

Project context and focus on the data management scope

The objective of the deployment is to provide Socomore’s Purchasing Department with an e-sourcing tool enabling, among other things, to:

  • manage the supplier panel (both prospective and approved suppliers)
  • manage the item master data and the item–supplier qualifications required by the industries served
  • manage sourcing for production requirements
  • manage sourcing related to new projects

Once the functional scope has been defined, it is essential to clearly identify the input and output data required to ensure the proper execution of processes within the procurement tool. This “data management” focus leads to consideration of two types of data:

Data originating from the ERP

These data are used to avoid manual data re-entry into the SRM, to leverage them within sourcing processes (e.g. sharing qualifications within RFQs sent to suppliers), and also to produce analyses (savings, spend, etc.).

They imply the implementation of an integration so that the identified ERP data scope is interfaced, enabling the e-sourcing tool to receive new records and updates at a defined frequency.

Data generated within the SRM S2C

The processes executed within the e-sourcing tool are designed to collect data from suppliers (e.g. price offers in response to RFQs). It is therefore essential that these data be structured in such a way that:

  • they can be effectively used by procurement teams to perform evaluations and various analyses
  • some of them can be fed back into the ERP (new suppliers, pricing, etc.)

Active collaboration in the field

In 2022, several initiatives helped promote this partnership among market players. An awareness campaign targeting a large portion of Isatech’s customer portfolio led to the presentation of Oxalys SQM to several clients, generating expressions of interest that continue to this day. Another joint initiative took place in early March in Rennes, where Isatech invited Oxalys SQM to join its booth at CFIA, allowing both teams to jointly engage with stakeholders in the agri-food sector.

A partnership serving the end customer

There is no exclusivity in this partnership, as Oxalys SQM software is designed to adapt to customers’ existing environments and therefore interfaces with one or more ERPs, regardless of the vendor. However, when the ERP belongs to the Microsoft ecosystem, the alliance with Isatech makes it possible to go further in creating added value—for the benefit of all parties, starting with the end customer.

We interviewed Elizabeth and Benoit from SOCOMORE:

“

Elizabeth, what is your overall impression of the data management implications resulting from the deployment of a procurement solution?
Even though the objective of the project is not to turn business experts into “data” experts, it is important for business teams to take ownership of the conditions required to effectively leverage high-quality data, whether produced internally or externally. Since data are intended to be transformed into information to support informed decision-making, the support of the internal IT sponsor and the software vendor during the project phase is a significant asset in helping business teams become familiar with data management concepts.

Elizabeth HenocqPurchasing Manager
“

Benoît, how do you generally approach your role in Socomore’s digital transformation, and more specifically in the deployment of your procurement solution?
My contribution spans several areas. First, helping business teams clearly identify useful data based on their functional needs, as well as the nuances that may exist when expressing data-related requirements. At the same time, it is essential to share our respective views with the vendor on the technical and data management aspects of the ERP integration, in order to ensure that data exchanges take place under optimal conditions.

Benoît MarcescheDigital Officer
“

Elizabeth, would you have any advice for business experts in companies preparing to digitalize their supplier relationships?
Do not underestimate the project scoping phase. Even if it may be perceived as repetitive compared to the discussions that took place prior to project launch, it allows business sponsors, IT sponsors, and the vendor to align their perspectives and anticipate, as much as possible, the data required for the project. At the same time, regular exchanges and iterative work make it possible to adjust progressively in an agile manner to achieve the expected outcome.

Elizabeth HenocqPurchasing Manager
“

Benoît, and what would be your advice for a company preparing to deploy a procurement solution?
To complement what Elizabeth has already mentioned, I would emphasize the importance of finding the right balance between the specifications required for contracting and project commitment, and the ability to manage adjustments in an agile way. This helps avoid locking the project into initial assumptions that could limit the value delivered by the deployed solution. Project steering committees during the testing phases are particularly valuable in this respect.

Benoît MarcescheDigital Officer