First Great Western is first to introduce Achilles’ comprehensive Supplier Management Solution
First Greater Western Ltd (FGW), train operator of one of the largest rail networks in the UK, is the first rail company to implement a single supplier management system with Achilles. FGW and
supplier information management company Achilles announced today that they have signed an
agreement to implement Achilles’ Total Supplier Management Solution (TSMS) with the aim of improving both the management of risks in an increasingly complex supply chain and the accuracy of supplier data across the entire organisation.
First Great Western sought to put in place a supplier information management solution that would give
them a holistic view of their entire supply base with the visibility of constantly updated and validated data on their suppliers. With Achilles’ TSMS they will benefit from a service that Achilles is already providing to other major companies such as National Grid, Unilever and Shell.
For many years, Achilles has provided supplier pre-qualification services, through Link-up, to FGW. This arrangement extends the scope of Achilles’ services to help FGW move towards a single approach for all supplier sourcing and pre-qualification. In so doing it expects to realise step change improvements in its own supplier assurance processes and a much closer alignment of it business and procurement objectives.
So the benefits to FGW are numerous: this solution provides visibility across their supply chain, one approach to compliance and risk management and a single and convenient point of entry for both current and potential new suppliers. Altogether, this approach will assist FGW in administering high quality supplier information and in so doing, is expected to provide a real competitive advantage.
“Through TSMS, First Great Western will have a clear and transparent process for supplier engagement, and a means to align procurement processes and risk management across the organisation. We value our relationships with suppliers and with Achilles’ assistance we will maintain a single source of high quality information that will allow us to further improve supplier integration and to continuously drive performance improvements.” comments Kevin Bartlett, Head of Procurement at First Great Western.
“This is hugely significant for Achilles and shows that First Great Western understands the importance of having a consistent view of their supply base. We are delighted to be able to support First Great Western in managing their supplier information on such a comprehensive basis. This is unique in the UK rail industry and demonstrates the development towards greater transparency and collaboration between buyers and suppliers.” Annette Poehl, Director, Rail and Transport.