Our focus areas
Our focus areas
In 2022, we focused on finding customers who want to be partners in making a difference. Through adjustments towards certifications and business development projects, we give customers the opportunity to find sustainable business. For every step we take, we gain a competitive advantage – and for every business, we replace fossil with renewable.
As the green alternative in a fossil industry, Sekab has always made profit out of sustainability in a way, but in 2022, a new, big step was taken. We have signed new contracts where sustainability is not only included in the product price, but where the customer has wanted the green premium to be clearly defined. This is because they have experienced it as a competitive advantage towards their end customers. This is a very positive development for the industry as a whole and for Sekab.
Our sales work is characterized by long-term thinking, sincerity, and respect. We always work to understand the individual customer’s needs and try to reach mutual understanding. In this way, we can also convey the added value of our products and develop common businesses and partnerships. Good customer understanding therefore determines which products and services Sekab offers on the market. It also increases our opportunities to build long-term customer relationships, which strengthens the brand and provides new business opportunities.
In 2022, we developed and started implementing a new CRM system. The purpose is to become even more customer-focused and in a structured way take on customer challenges – from delivery assurance to transitioning to more sustainable supply chains. In the Lime system, the entire company, from salespeople to quality engineers and sustainability managers, can more clearly participate in dialogue with the customer. Through this, we deepen our partnership in a way that benefits everyone involved.
High customer satisfaction
Customer satisfaction is a measure of how our customer relationships work. We see how well we have reached out with our messages and if we have achieved the customer understanding we strive for. In 2022, a customer satisfaction survey was conducted, with a result of 4.46 on a five-point scale. With that result, we proudly see an increase from previous years when the result was 4.36. We see a generally increased satisfaction and the biggest increases are in the areas of product quality, delivery assurance, and our range of green products. In 2023, we will continue to develop our customer collaborations with new methods and tools.
Responsibility in the supply chain
Sekab’s procurement work is about making sustainable deals that take responsibility for both business ethics and economy, as well as environmental and social factors. When procuring goods and services, we use suppliers who can continuously meet requirements, needs, and expectations. It is also important that suppliers have the competence and willingness to collaborate. Relations with our suppliers should be conducted professionally and business-like, as well as characterized by mutual understanding and respect.
During 2022, Sekab adopted a new Code of Conduct. This includes a comprehensive internal version (see more under the section “Employees”) and an external version that is included with all our contracts to ensure that all our suppliers share our values. Zero tolerance applies to bribery, corruption, and other anti-competitive measures. Good business ethics and transparency extend through everything we do, and through clarity in our commitments and requirements towards our suppliers, we ensure the sustainability of our operations.
Sekab divides suppliers into two groups: raw material suppliers and other suppliers. A raw material supplier must always be approved according to Sekab’s supplier qualification, which includes following Sekab’s environmental and behavioral requirements. During 2022, seven supplier qualifications of our raw material suppliers were carried out. None of the qualifications led to any further action. In 2022, two assessments of other suppliers were conducted.
Delivery assurance
We do everything to ensure that our customers feel confident and know that we always deliver what we have agreed upon. We have a reliable production process that in 2022, like every other year, ran smoothly. We have not had any unplanned disruptions that affected our customers’ ability to receive their products on time.
During 2022, Sekab developed a new production planning system to effectively create the best balance between sales and production. One of Sekab’s great competitive advantages is that we can adapt production in the factory based on demand and market conditions. The production planning system is the link between sales and the factory.
Delivery assurance also means that we have extensive logistics and inventory management services. On the fuel side, we keep our customers’ stocks under surveillance and ensure that their tanks never run empty. For the chemical product ethyl acetate, we have a storage in Antwerp that both gives us proximity to the market and ensures that, with good dialogue, we can provide our loyal customers with continuous volume. We also monitor that rail transportation works so that we can avoid and proactively act on disruptions and delays, as just-in-time deliveries are of the highest priority for our customers.