[Case 01]
Streamlined supplier management, driving 30% higher efficiency and stronger supplier trust.
Machinery and Equipment
Valcon: Transforming Supplier Management for the Pulp & Paper Industry
Enhancing collaboration, consistency, and efficiency through a user-centric digital platform
[Project Overview]
A leading global player in the pulp, paper, and energy industries required a digital solution to streamline supplier management. Existing manual workflows, fragmented communication, and inconsistent processes were causing inefficiencies and limiting supplier trust.
To solve this, Valcon, a Salesforce-based supplier management platform, was designed and implemented. The platform centralized supplier data, digitized workflows, and enabled real-time collaboration, improving efficiency, reducing costs, and strengthening supplier relationships.
[Problem Statement]
The pulp, paper, and energy sectors faced fragmented and inefficient supplier management processes, with data scattered across multiple systems, inconsistent workflows, and limited collaboration channels. This led to delays in supplier onboarding and communication, higher operational costs, and poor supplier engagement. A unified, scalable, and user-friendly solution was needed to centralize supplier data, standardize processes, and streamline collaboration, enabling faster decision-making, cost reduction, and improved supplier relationships.
[Industry]
Machinery and Equipment
[My Role]
Lead Designer
[Platforms]
Desktop
[Timeline]
April 2024- July 2024
[Persona]
Mika Korhonen
Supplier Relationship Manager – Pulp & Paper Industry
Mika is a supplier relationship manager at a large Finnish paper manufacturing company. He oversees vendor data, coordinates with multiple suppliers, and ensures compliance with internal processes. Efficiency, accuracy, and collaboration are central to his role.
Age: 44
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Tech Proficiency: Moderate
Gender: Male
[Goal]
Centralize supplier data in one platform for easy access.
Improve collaboration with suppliers and internal teams.
Ensure consistent, compliant processes across projects.
[Frustrations]
Supplier data scattered across different systems, causing duplication.
Manual workflows leading to errors and delays.
Lack of visibility into supplier performance and compliance tracking.
[Process]
[01] User Research
Interviews with supplier managers in pulp & energy companies.
Shadowed daily workflows to identify bottlenecks.
Mapped end-to-end supplier lifecycle for inefficiencies.
[02] Insights
Users wanted predictable, consistent workflows to reduce errors.
Collaboration features (notifications, tracking) were critical.
Clear dashboards with supplier status and SLAs improved trust.
[03 Design Solution]
Designed a centralized supplier management hub in Salesforce.
Built process-driven workflows with guided steps and validations.
Added collaboration tools – notifications, document sharing, SLA dashboards.
[04] Testing & Iteration
Usability testing with Finnish supplier managers validated streamlined workflows.
Iterations improved data input speed and reduced redundant steps.
Feedback loops with suppliers ensured adoption-readiness.
[Outcome]
25% faster supplier interactions, reducing bottlenecks.
20% reduction in operational costs through digitized processes.
30% higher user satisfaction, boosting adoption among suppliers.
[Key Learnings]
Localization Drives Adoption
Finnish teams valued consistency and predictable workflows tailored to their context.
Collaboration Builds Trust
Supplier-focused tools strengthened transparency and improved efficiency.
UX as a Strategic Lever
Positioning UX within business strategy elevated Valcon into a long-term asset.