This is the seventh installment in our ongoing ‘Meet the Parklane Team’ Q&A blog series. In this installment, we introduce you to our Procurement Specialist Judith Bopearatchy.
One of the biggest, yet least-discussed, challenges of operating a fast-growing business is simply obtaining the components and materials that we need to design and produce our noise and vibration control solutions. That’s a particularly tall task when inflation and supply chain hiccups are making it difficult to obtain materials that are normally easy to source. Luckily, we have a seasoned professional on our team with the right experience, organizational skills and diligence to ensure we gain access to critical parts and supplies to help mitigate the risk of project delays.
In our latest ‘Meet the Parklane Team’ blog, we introduce you to Judith Bopearatchy, whose career at Parklane began only recently, but whose contributions are already strongly felt across the company.
Key info
Team member: Judith Bopearatchy
Position: Procurement Specialist
Education: Judith completed the Chartered Institute of Management Accounting (CIMA) program – a sought-after professional qualification in the Management Accounting field. She is currently studying to obtain her Certified Planning and Inventory Management certificate (CPIM), which is a supply-chain related qualification.
When she’s away from the office: Judith is an avid hiker and loves to explore new trails near and far. She’s also a foodie and enjoys trying out various international cuisines. Judith loves to read and never leaves home without her Kindle.
Can you tell us about your professional background?
I worked for a major pharmaceutical company in Sri Lanka for six years. It’s one of the country’s largest importers and manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, including consumer brands. I also worked in the supply chain industry working on everything from procurement to inventory management. I started at Parklane in August, 2021.
What’s your current role on the Parklane team?
As Parklane’s Procurement Specialist, my job is to work closely with our project managers to procure components or materials such as steel, for our various projects. After the engineering team designs our noise and vibration control solutions, they spec out the materials needed for fabrication, and I’ll work with our suppliers to secure those necessary parts or materials at the best possible quality, price and delivery timelines. If we can’t get the manufacturing inputs we need on time, projects can be significantly delayed and costs can increase, so it’s very important to manage the procurement process efficiently.
How does your prior experience relate to this current role at Parklane?
Previously, I worked with a lot of international companies based in countries like India, Pakistan and Germany. I was dealing with a lot of different suppliers on a day-to-day basis, and I had to maintain good relationships with them, placing timely orders to ensure that we could meet our customers’ expectations. I found that working with a lot of different types of people helped broaden my experience and really honed the relationship-building skills that I brought to Parklane
Now, with inflation and supply chain shortages, we’re facing situations where key components are suddenly out of stock. We need to make quick decisions, like sourcing from other vendors to get what we need. We can’t delay a project waiting a month for a part that should take a week to arrive, so we need to act fast. Fortunately, we maintain relationships with many different suppliers and industry partners, so we can share contacts and information and ensure we get the supplies we need on time. Having strong networks is more important than ever and I’m continuing to build those contacts and relationships.
What drew you to Parklane?
I was first interviewed by Dianne (Goldsmith, Parklane’s Accounting Manager) and the impression that I got was that it’s a collaborative, family-oriented company. That was the feeling I got from my very first interactions with the management team, and it turned out to be true.
I worked in large corporate environments before, and this is a bit different. Everyone knows each other and is friendly. That really appealed to me. In a large company, even when you have new ideas or want to try new initiatives, it can take a lot of time to see any result. At Parklane if you have a good idea that yields benefits, it can be implemented quickly and adopted by everybody. That’s what I enjoy.
What do you think is the most unique feature of Parklane’s culture?
I would say that it’s very easy-going, but at the same time, we work hard to service our customers and grow as a company. The fact that everyone is very interactive, and all our departments are inter-linked, means that no one is working on their own. That’s one of the most important requirements when a business is growing; you need that consistent communication, otherwise important messages and information won’t be shared between team members and that could hurt both the employees and the company. I really believe that growth can be enhanced by strong communication and great teamwork, and we have that at Parklane.
Need to reach a Parklane team member to discuss your noise and vibration control challenges? Contact us now.