For almost 30 years we have been helping buyers and utility suppliers work better together. Events like AchillesLive are an effective way of making procurement fairer and making sure that buyers are able to build the most effective utility supply chains possible.
Successful supply chains are built on trust, communication and shared values, and that is exactly what AchillesLive is all about too. The last time we organised the event, in 2016, well over 1,000 participants attended.
This year’s event returns to Oslo in September and is bigger and better than ever before. The conference itself will feature over 40 speakers from some of Northern Europe’s largest utilities buyers, while the exhibition area allows buyers and suppliers of all shapes and sizes to get to know each other.
The aim of AchillesLive is always the same – to help companies build the kind of relationships that lead to the best outcome for buyers, suppliers and the communities that depend on these networks.
Here are four things you need to know about this year’s event:
Meet procurement professionals and decision makers
AchillesLive is a rare opportunity for utility suppliers to get face to face access with buyers, and can be an invaluable tool for gaining new business and fostering existing relationships.
The event is all about sharing insight and developing connections. Unlike many other conferences or industry events, the aim is not to sell anything. We find that taking a strictly sales-led approach often means that participants aren’t as willing to share their knowledge and insight. Instead of being competitive, AchillesLive is set up to promote collaboration.
Buyers are represented across all levels, including chief procurement officers and category managers. This means conversations and networking can always get straight down to business. With many of the speakers representing the biggest buyers and talking directly about regional challenges and opportunities, there is always something interesting and relevant to talk about.
Get real insight into the European utilities sector
One key differentiator from other events is that AchillesLive is focused on the entire European utilities sector. This means that everyone attending is always on the same page.
You’ll not only learn about what makes the regions buyers tick, you will also get access to information about the range of multi-billion euro investment projects currently planned all over Europe.
The European utilities sector faces multiple, complex challenges, and while there are also a lot of opportunities, there is a need for debate, innovation and collaboration. We think the best way to help both buyers and utility suppliers position themselves, in a way that will allow them to grasp these opportunities, is to get professionals from the procurement sector talking honestly and openly about the environment they work in every day.
You can take a look the buyers that are already registered here.
Understand your sector demands and requirements better
The demands and requirements of buyers in the sector are always evolving, and an event like AchillesLive can help suppliers understand exactly what they need to do to get access. Particularly, the areas of health and safety (HSE) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) are very important for the Northern European utilities sector.
Northern European companies have shown themselves to be pioneers in the field of CSR, and suppliers are increasingly being asked to operate in a certain way in order to be considered by buyers. But the region is not uniform when it comes to how it views CSR – with Norway and Sweden traditionally seeing it as part of global governance and Finland and Denmark viewing it as more of a business policy to increase innovation and competiveness.
AchillesLive helps utility suppliers make sure they are always operating in a way that makes them attractive and compliant partners.
Maintain and develop existing and new business
While there is definitely the opportunity for suppliers to drum up new business, the chance to strengthen and maintain existing relationships is often just as valuable. Often, we find that some fresh insight and knowledge can bring a renewed vigour to long-standing relationships.
By getting procurement professionals and suppliers from the same industry and region in the same room, and talking about the challenges and opportunities they face, AchillesLive is a great way of bringing the right companies together organically.
Book your stand today
For suppliers in the Northern Europe, there are not many opportunities to get face to face with buyers like AchillesLive. The event gives equal access to suppliers of all shapes and sizes, and helps the entire industry work together more effectively and productively.
Book your place at this year’s event today
