Originally Dutch IT service provider Supply Chain Company continues to grow. It opened a branch in Spain earlier this year and one in the UK last month. It owes its growth to growing demand for planning solutions among manufacturers and retailers.
Demand for advanced supply chain and retail planning solutions in the fast-moving consumer goods sector continues to grow. "Manufacturers and retailers continue to struggle after the corona period with how to deal with increasing supply chain disruptions and erratic demand patterns. They need to optimise their supply chain planning processes to be flexible and resilient. Good IT support is indispensable for this. We have the expertise to implement this software and optimise adjacent processes," CEO Henk Jan Rijkse explains the company's growth.
As such, Supply Chain Company is a key implementation partner of Relex Solutions, a Finnish provider of supply chain planning solutions. Relex recently expanded its product portfolio with the acquisition of software vendor Optimity. Supply Chain Company has extensive knowledge of and implementation experience with both software solutions. Rijkse: "Moreover, our sister company Chainresult has a strong track record in business implementations, including in the agri and food sector. We have easy access to that knowledge and experience from Supply Chain Company. This puts us in a good position to serve our customers even better."
International expansion
Since Supply Chain Company was founded in 2017, it has grown to around 50 employees, with offices in the Netherlands, Denmark and New Zealand. "To grow with Relex, we have now opened an office in Spain and in the UK," says Rijkse. "The UK is important to us. We already carry out a large part of our projects for clients in the UK. We can do this even better by being in the market itself with our team."
The Spain office is headed by Sander Mullink and should play a central role in software delivery for all offices and future offices worldwide. Mullink says the Malaga location was strategically chosen. "Malaga is a growing hub for IT services. The city has a good supply of highly skilled IT professionals, thanks to its renowned universities and technical schools, such as the well-known IT university Universidad de Málaga. Much of the technical and configuration activities will take place in Malaga. In addition, Malaga is the hub for projects on the Iberian Peninsula."
The offices in the Netherlands, Denmark, New Zealand and the UK play a vital role in client success. "We want to combine our solid expertise with presence close to clients We plan to open a similar office in Germany before the end of this year and we are exploring options for the United States," says Rijkse.
Capital injection
To facilitate its growth ambitions, Supply Chain Company, together with sister company Chainresult, received a capital injection from investment company Holland Capital last year. "Technology is playing an increasing role in the demand for sustainable operations in agri-food and consumer packaged goods. The unique characteristics of these markets require a specialised approach. Supply Chain Company and Chainresult understand the requirements, processes and complexities and together are well equipped to guide further digitalisation in these chains," said Hubert Verbeek, Managing Partner Holland Capital.
