Purcon Belgium makes success public

After the company turnover doubled in just two years, Gert Maddens, CEO of Purcon Belgium , knew the time was ripe for expansion. He decided to launch a consultancy that would focus on the commercial aspect of government purchase policy, a dimension that has been neglected in a country known for its complex and stringent regulation of this area.

‘Now that our recruitment branch is fully operational, I can focus on the main purchaser in Belgium, which is local government,’ says Gert Maddens, who brought on board top ranking executive Harald Krähe, a former procurement and strategy coordinator for a Belgian public sector company, to help him launch Purcon Public Procurement.

In Belgium , total government spend in this area is 80 billion euros.

Harald Krähe says the consultancy fulfills a need long identified in Belgium , where the strict regulation of public procurement has undermined purchasers’ knowledge and commercial drive.

‘Of course, there’s a need for these regulations, but they can interfere with the commercial drive of purchasers and, as a result, these can become less effective,’ says Harald Krähe adding that organizations are noticeably more satisfied with the results when commercial aspects have been implemented into public procurement.

Gert Madden adds: ‘We see government and local authorities as one customer. Whereas public procurement is now spread over so many entities, Purcon Public Procurement would like to offer their expertise on the whole domain of purchasing.’

The sprawling field of public procurement falls into three main divisions: public works, public services and supplies.

Managing directors Gert Maddens and Harald Krähe will specialise in the areas of public services and supplies, which have yet to undergo a professional overhaul, and where there is still a wide range of opportunities.

One way in which their consultancy will benefit professionals is via a knowledge and information library, says Harald Krähe.  ‘We intend to build a database where purchasing officers can find detailed lists of potential suppliers.

By respecting the ethical code of public authorities, we’re able to look at suppliers from the perspective of public procurement professionals,’ he says.

A team of in-house consultants will further this knowledge-building as the consultancy assists organizations to shift from a legal to a commercial perspective.

It’s all part of an ambitious plan that sees Purcon Public Procurement as foremost in its field within five years.

With its combination of professional experience from both private and public sectors and an in-depth knowledge of commercial procurement laws, the unique management consultancy is a logical next step in the Purcon success story.

For more information, please email  info@purcon.be or visit www.purcon.be