What is your business industry category or specialty?   
Supply Chain Planning & Scheduling Solutions & Consulting
 
How do you describe your job to people outside the industry?    
OM Partners aims to cut costs at companies in manufacturing as well as in high level distribution. How to cut costs? By optimizing the manufacturing or distribution supply chain and minimizing inventory, trim, change-overs while optimizing efficiency and respecting customer preferences both at an operational level as well as on tactical and strategic level. When e.g. Samsonite wants to pick their cost optimal suppliers to source products from the Asia, they run cost/profit optimization in OMP Plus. When DSM (Dutch State Mines) decide to reduce their inventory in intermediate products while increasing their service level, they use OMP Plus to balance this out while keeping all constraints in sync. When Mohawk, Shaw or Beaulieu want to gain visibility over short and mid term flooring operations in an integrated way, we provide the solution for it.

Who are your main competitors and what differentiates you from the competition? What makes you unique?
Main competitors are SAP (APO DP, PP/DS, SNP) and Logility. The main differentiators : a true integrated supply chain software suite built up with a proven visionary technology without acquisitions or take-overs while being profitable and growing in a sustainable way. Integrated best of class solvers which are in-house developed for flexibility. Unique Expert knowledge in industries including Chemicals, Food & Beverage, CPG, Corrugated & Packaging, Metals and Flooring.

How was the business started?
The business started in 1985 as a academic spin off specialized in Linear and mixed integer programming and built up further in the years after integrated supply chain applications.

How many employees does the business have?  
OM Partners group have over 200 employees while the US subsidiary is growing over 20 in 2013.

How did you end up in Atlanta?   
About 8 years ago starting up the business development side of the business together with one co-worker who also joined as an expat. First we focused on roll-out projects from Europe after which we grew more into local customers and growth in the East-coast and Midwest.

What is your number one business goal over the next year?  
Sustainable growth while building up a quality team with the right profile of resources!

What is the best advice you have received regarding doing business with Americans/Dutch?
We have quite some Dutch/American customers including DSM, CSM, Friesland Campina and others. It’s never a ‘simple roll-out from Europe’, but by providing industry-expertise, being close to the customers and acknowledging culture differences and be open to it, you make it a success.

Any other personal information you would like to share, e.g. hobbies, special interests, family etc…
Besides aiming to grow business in Supply Chain, I am passionate about sports (tennis, golf) and anything linked to vintage watches, clocks, …