Interview with Robert Husár
Covering new product development (in conjunction with Engineering), Voice of Customer, pricing, campaigns, product launches, AOP, LRP, forecasting, SIOP, planning and reporting, used equipment, marketing communications, fairs and events, branding, website design and content, public relations related to Bobcat Mini-Excavators retailed within EMEA region. |
1. What were the biggest challenges for Bobcat EMEA during the last 2 years caused by the COVID pandemic situation? Managing the high demand with the unreliable supply with impacts on costs in terms of increased transport (airfreight) charges, reworks, etc. 2. Can tell us how Covid and Ukraine war impacted business development/sales at your section of responsibility and Doosan/Bobcat overall? Already challenging delivery of material became even more challenging due to the stopped rail from China through Russia to Europe. The congestion in the Chinese ports became even worse. In order to satisfy our customers, air freights were required in order to continue the production. We continue to manage our production and supply chain in order to meet the customer demand. 3. Did you have to look for new suppliers from different locations/countries during the pandemic and also due to increased ocean rates and no space for ships or planes? Yes, in this was related not only to the freight capacity but also to the supplier capacity. We do target supply chain diversification where possible not only from multiple suppliers but also multiple region levels. 4. And how did you combat this situation? It was close cooperation of our engineering, product management, quality, and supply chain teams. We had various complexity of projects, from days to months of development and validation work. It was based on the part complexity and the urgency of the situation. 5. We are very happy that you will join us at the WOF Expo in Prague on 12./13. of October – what are your personal expectations to this CEE supply chain event? I am looking forward to discussing the trends in the supply chain, in terms of the overall carbon footprint of products (from cradle to grave), as well as the latest trends in the supply chain in terms of globalization vs. localization. |
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Bobcat’s mission is to empower customers to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively. The company leads the industry in the design, manufacture, marketing and distribution of compact equipment for construction, landscaping, agriculture, grounds maintenance, government, utility, industry and mining. Our roots are deep in North Dakota, USA – having started there in 1947. Today, three additional manufacturing facilities − located in the Czech Republic, France and China − give us truly global coverage. As of 2007, Bobcat Company became a business unit of Doosan Bobcat Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Doosan Infracore Co., Ltd. Bobcat’s EMEA headquarters is based at the heart of Europe, in the Czech Republic. The modern Bobcat Campus is unique among the company’s many facilities around the world and in the whole industry. Combining state-of-the-art manufacturing plant, Innovation Centre, and Training Centre at the same location, it is the development point for new machines and technology, their production, and the delivery of training to dealers from Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). More than 350 Bobcat Dealerships in the EMEA region provide Bobcat equipment and serve customers with hundreds of local sales, service, parts and rental specialists..
www.bobcat.com |