Jim Salois
Supply Chain Executive MBA
*********@*****.***
Summary
Supply chain management professional with more than 15 years of progressive growth in a variety of industries
operating in complex global environments. Known for unique ability to analyze complex situations, identify
the critical factors, and then communicate the execution plan throughout the organization, and achieve the
aggressive stretch goals with my teams. Substantial leadership experience incorporating lean methodologies
throughout the supply chain: beginning with S&OP planning, continuing through strategic sourcing,
warehousing, and distribution to end customers delivering profitable results. Ability to effectively
communicate at all levels in the organization and interact with all related functions; manufacturing, sales,
finance.
Core Competencies: Strategic Sourcing ~ Demand Planning ~ Supplier Quality ~ Working Capital
Management ~ P&L Accountability ~ Lean Methodologies ~ Contract Negotiations ~ Risk Management ~
Import Export Compliance ~ Logistics ~ Warehousing ~ Kanban ~ Six Sigma ~ Global Sourcing ~ Commodity
Hedging ~ S&OP
Experience
Senior Director Supply Chain North America at ESAB Welding and Cutting
February 2011 - Present (2 years 11 months)
Accountable for the North American Supply Chain supporting ~ $500 million in annual sales. Diverse
product range of manufactured and purchased welding consumbles and equipment for the welding industry.
Directed and coordinated the manufacturing/purchasing of 18,000 finished goods sku's throughout 5
manufacturing sites and 9 warehouses in US, Canada, the supply chain cycle: S&OP, Strategic Sourcing,
Demand and Inventory Planning, Warehousing, and Logistics to the end user.
Achieved 48% inventory reduction ($54 million) in 2 years while improving On-Time-in-Full by 10%
Redesigned distribution footprint, closed 4 distribution centers, eliminating $800k in annual fixed costs .
Consolidated the country centric supply planning group into a centralized North American group.
Led the implementation of a centralized commodity purchasing structure in North America that was
replicated as the global strategy in 2013.
Purchasing Director North America at Prysmian Power Cables and Systems
April 2006 - January 2011 (4 years 10 months)
Responsible for >$300 million raw material and MRO purchasing department supporting 4 manufacturing
Page1
plants in the US and Canada. Reported directly to the CEO and accountable for P&L performance to budget,
forecasting, financial and physical risk management of non-ferrous metals hedging, capital spending,
import/export/NAFTA compliance, and IAS/FASB/ISO compliance.
Implemented indexed pricing on key resin commodities to reflect the cost model of the providers resulting in
$1.5 million savings.
Negotiated savings exceeded $12 million using global strategic sourcing plans and dual source supply
strategies
Reconfigured SAP/ERP reporting to increase the accuracy and timeliness of hedging actions to maintain a
daily balanced metal book.
Developed and implemented a supplier quality program including policies and management, supplier
scorecards and minimum supplier certification requirements.
Negotiated extended payment terms of 50 - 90 days with strategic metal suppliers in an industry where the
standard is Net Cash to Net 30 days.
Value Analysis / Value Engineering Manager at Delphi
2005 - 2006 (1 year)
Led the corporate staff of 6 VA/VE facilitators. Provided global support and training to divisional
facilitators. Established the benchmarks for the competitive assessment centers around the world. Developed
a comprehensive VA/VE processs to look beyond the traditional focus to incorporate lean value stream
activities, cost models, and competitive hardware as part of the workshop process.
Personnaly facilitated workshops on products and components that identified $40 million in savings
opportunites in one year.
Identified an opportunity outside of the normal workshop process that saved $1 million anually and was able
to be implemented within 30 days with a second phase that saved an additional $3.5 million.
Direct staff identified opportunites for savings that exceeded $100 million in one year.
Global Commodity Manager - Platinum Group Metals at Delphi
2003 - 2005 (2 years)
Managed the global purchasing of >$700 million of platinum group metals. Analyzed global market supply
and demand to initiate hedging recommendations, transacted the leases of metals, buys or sells of forward
metals and spot metal purchases.
Chaired the monthly Delphi Commodity Risk Management Committee which consisted of Executives and
Board members to agree on hedging recommendations of $1.5 billion.
Page2
Negotiated unprecedented pgm purchase contracts that allowed for monthly optional purchase quantities,
multiple global delivery locations, and extended payment resulting in $2 million in annual savings.
Led cross-functional team focused on improving pgm reclaim timing and return rates resulting in a 15%
improvement in return timing, and a 1% increase in returned metal worth $1 million in annual savings.
Global Commodity Manager - Copper, Zinc, Nickel, Tin at Delphi
2001 - 2003 (2 years)
Commodity manger for global purchasing of $300 million of non ferrous metals. Directed and coordinated
the 12 members of the global commodity team responsible for the purcahsing of finished cable, bare wire,
copper alloy strip and magnet wire.
Initiated and executed supplier consolidation and right sizing, and increased minority business by $140
million in annual purchases.
Conducted the first ever global E-auction at Delphi - Ran the auction event from the US for European bare
wire supply resulting in nearly $2 million in annual savings, business was moved within 30 days.
Commodity team consistently saved savings in excess of the 3% target in budget.
Advanced Supplier Quality Manager at Delphi
2000 - 2001 (1 year)
Supervised and led a team of 6 advanced supplier quality engineers responsible for stampings, forgings,
castings, machined parts, injection molded plastic components and electrical controllers and assemblies.
Improved on time PPAP approval to 99% by working closely with all related functions in engineering,
manufacturing, sales and purchasing. Single minded goal of perfect quality through program launch was
maintained.
Implemented a '6 month radar horizon' for my advanced supplier quality engineers resulting in a 19%
increase in On Time PPAP approval.
Institutionalized several early quality processes to incure good communications between the engineering,
purchasing, and quality departments resulting in minimal late supplier, or internal engineering changes and
cost creep of the programs.
Senior Buyer - Global Purchasing at Delphi
1998 - 2000 (2 years)
Responsible for the purchase and supply chain of $40 million of custom engineered electro-mechanical
devices and sensors.
Negotiated new purchase contracts savings $8 million dollars annually.
Page3
Saved additional $1.25 million through extensions of contracts with the supply base.
Project leader for global e-auction covering $200 million in spend resulting in $12 million in savings.
Assistant Staff Project Engineer at Delphi
1989 - 1997 (8 years)
Led 4 - 6 engineering design teams responsible for the engineering of power actuated and conventional
steering columns from initiation through program launch.
Reduced investment on the second generation power tilt and telescope steering column by $300 million and
reduced total piece costs by 60% through concurrent engineering and knowledge of manufacturing processes
to reduce costs.
Created a 'visual timeline' to monitor project progress. Simplified more than 800 steps into the key 27
program milestones.
Published technical paper on "Utilizing DFMEA's as a Lessons Learned and Design Guide"
Skills & Expertise
Strategic Sourcing
Supply Management
Supply Chain Management
Supply Chain
Purchasing
Global Sourcing
MRP
ERP
Continuous Improvement
Materials
Logistics
Manufacturing
Lean Manufacturing
Procurement
Negotiation
Materials Management
Transportation
Operations Management
SAP
Supply Chain Optimization
Production Planning
5S
Six Sigma
Page4
Education
University of Michigan
MBA, Business, 1994 - 1996
Michigan State University
MSME, Mechanical Engineering, 1989 - 1991
Michigan Technological University
BSEE, Electrical Engineering, 1982 - 1987
Page5
Jim Salois
Supply Chain Executive MBA
*********@*****.***
Contact Jim on LinkedIn
Page6