Tarmac, supplier of construction products, and Brammer, the UK distributor of industrial maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) products and services, have been presented with the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) award for Best Supplier Relationship Management at a prestigious ceremony held at the Grosvenor Hotel in central London.

More than 1,000 people attended the event, which recognises and celebrates excellence in the purchasing and supply chain industry. Working with Tarmac since 2009, Brammer was instrumental in reducing total costs and enhancing production efficiency through standardising and simplifying Tarmac’s plant-critical spares and services supply base. A three-phase strategic plan was centred on optimising consistency in procurement across 400 UK sites, and reducing the number of suppliers based on quality, cost and service performance.

The project resulted in a £1.3m cost saving for Tarmac, as well as significant organisational benefits including enhanced reporting systems, an 80 per cent reduction in paper transactions and a rationalised supply base. Tarmac had previously sourced spares and services from over 480 suppliers, but due to Brammer’s supply chain and technical capabilities, they now account for 75 per cent of MRO spend, vastly simplifying the procurement process and ensuring consistent pricing and quality.

Awarding the partnership between Tarmac and Brammer with the category win, the panel of judges commented: “Collaboration seems to be the catalyst for wide-ranging innovation across a number of areas, most importantly in the depth of integration.”

Ian Ritchie, Managing Director of Brammer UK, commented: “We were delighted when Tarmac chose to enter our partnership’s work for the Best Supplier Relationship Management Award, and are thrilled to be part of their success. A project of this scale required collaborative work from teams across all Brammer business functions and locations, and as such is a true team effort that demonstrates the genuine value our products and services deliver for customers.”