- 10/14/2025
- Interview
- Industry
- Insights
“Resilience starts with a good supplier relationship management”
Packaging doesn’t just protect products – it protects entire business models. So, where are the bottle necks that need to be taken into consideration in order to ensure future-proof packaging? Certainly, one of the biggest issues is the resilience of supply chains in terms of disruption, rising sustainability demands, and digital transformation. A conversation with Mirjam Zeller, CEO BME Marketing GmbH at the Bundesverband Materialwirtschaft, Einkauf und Logistik (BME), about the latest SME Procurement Barometer 2025.
Ms. Zeller, 88.9% of companies see the ability to integrate new suppliers quickly as a growth factor. Are existing supplier relationships so bad – even in the packaging industry?
Quite the opposite. The goal is not to replace existing partnerships, but to make the existing ones more robust and to secure growth through new suppliers. Especially the packaging industry is under enormous pressure to manage transformation – regulatory, ecological, and economic. Those who succeed in flexibly integrating new partners create room for innovation and supply chain resilience. Supplier networks today must be dynamic and scalable – this is a prerequisite for surviving in a volatile environment.
The study shows that 80.6% of respondents believe that there is a significant need for digitalization, especially in supplier management. Why is there so little momentum here?
Because many are still stuck in daily operations. Manual processes, Excel spreadsheets, and endless email threads dominate in many procurement departments – including packaging manufacturers. Digitalization requires an upfront investment of time and resources, but it’s the key to detecting risks earlier, capturing supply chain data accurately, and bringing innovative products to market faster. Particularly in the packaging sector with short product life cycles, this is a strategic necessity.
According to the study, only a quarter of companies use platforms for supplier collaboration. Isn’t that a poor reflection on an industry that likes to present itself as smart and innovative?
The awareness is there – but implementation often lacks resources or priority. What we need is a real cultural shift to benefit from the added value of digital platforms. Collaboration must not be limited to RFQs and price negotiations. Particularly in packaging development – from sustainable materials to automation-friendly design – the best solutions emerge when suppliers are involved early. Digital platforms are the backbone for structured, efficient collaboration.
The study describes procurement as a strategic “engine for innovation.” That sounds promising – but how strategic is procurement in the reality of medium-sized packaging companies today?
Not strategic enough yet. In too many companies, procurement is still operational, reactive and cost-driven. Yet our study shows a shift: 47.1% of respondents say procurement has evolved into a strategic function. For packaging companies, this means: Procurement is involved in deciding which innovations are prioritized and how issues related to circularity are incorporated into material selection. Those who still see procurement purely as a cost center will lose competitiveness in the long run.
Thank you for the interview, Ms. Zeller.
Quite the opposite. The goal is not to replace existing partnerships, but to make the existing ones more robust and to secure growth through new suppliers. Especially the packaging industry is under enormous pressure to manage transformation – regulatory, ecological, and economic. Those who succeed in flexibly integrating new partners create room for innovation and supply chain resilience. Supplier networks today must be dynamic and scalable – this is a prerequisite for surviving in a volatile environment.
The study shows that 80.6% of respondents believe that there is a significant need for digitalization, especially in supplier management. Why is there so little momentum here?
Because many are still stuck in daily operations. Manual processes, Excel spreadsheets, and endless email threads dominate in many procurement departments – including packaging manufacturers. Digitalization requires an upfront investment of time and resources, but it’s the key to detecting risks earlier, capturing supply chain data accurately, and bringing innovative products to market faster. Particularly in the packaging sector with short product life cycles, this is a strategic necessity.
According to the study, only a quarter of companies use platforms for supplier collaboration. Isn’t that a poor reflection on an industry that likes to present itself as smart and innovative?
The awareness is there – but implementation often lacks resources or priority. What we need is a real cultural shift to benefit from the added value of digital platforms. Collaboration must not be limited to RFQs and price negotiations. Particularly in packaging development – from sustainable materials to automation-friendly design – the best solutions emerge when suppliers are involved early. Digital platforms are the backbone for structured, efficient collaboration.
The study describes procurement as a strategic “engine for innovation.” That sounds promising – but how strategic is procurement in the reality of medium-sized packaging companies today?
Not strategic enough yet. In too many companies, procurement is still operational, reactive and cost-driven. Yet our study shows a shift: 47.1% of respondents say procurement has evolved into a strategic function. For packaging companies, this means: Procurement is involved in deciding which innovations are prioritized and how issues related to circularity are incorporated into material selection. Those who still see procurement purely as a cost center will lose competitiveness in the long run.
Thank you for the interview, Ms. Zeller.