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Continue working – what else?
It’s not difficult to get talking to Roland Dzick. Firstly because he likes to talk – and secondly because he is a very good listener – and always gives his counterpart the feeling he is only listening to him or her and completely absorbed in the matter at hand. That’s why it’s a pleasure to converse with the 34-year-old strategic buyer at Coroplast Tape.
It’s far more difficult to meet him at his workplace, as when he isn’t travelling the world in search of the best raw materials for Coroplast Tape adhesives, he’s in a meeting. “The modern buyer is internally an interactive worker,” Roland Dzick emphasises. “He needs to be constantly in dialogue with Sales, Quality, Production and particularly with the Development department in order to understand exactly what we need at Coroplast Tape. Externally I combine all the projects and topics and am responsible for maintaining good relations. I need to be well informed about the procurement market and identify suppliers whose know-how meets our needs.”
Understanding foreign cultures
Born in Bochum, Roland Dzick is ideally suited for these tasks, as he studied chemistry for a number of semesters, which enables him to speak to his protagonists in the world of adhesive raw materials on equal terms. Apart from that, he is a passionate globetrotter. “The most pleasant phase of my time at Coroplast Tape so far was my three-month stay in China in 2015. In Kunshan I helped to establish the Purchasing department for the Cable Assemblies business unit. Although I don’t speak Chinese and hardly anyone speaks English there, I managed to communicate very well. China has meanwhile become like a second home to me.” That must also be helpful for him, as he travels to Kunshan, Shanghai or Taiwan three times a year. He also plans to travel just as often to the USA and already moves throughout Europe on a frequent basis. “I’ve always liked being on the road and also enjoy the stress that comes from travelling. For instance, in March this year I had just landed in Frankfurt from Taiwan and then caught another plane straight to a trade fair in Nuremberg. I did get some funny looks when changing clothes in the airport toilet, but it didn’t bother me.”
I love working with people. That’s why when I was asked whether I prefer sales or purchasing, I’m always happy to promote purchasing because it is a fascinating task to acquire know-how for the company.
Single-mindedly pushing boundaries
Roland Dzick began his career at Coroplast Tape in August 2012 as a dual student of “International Management with Engineering”. Since 2014 he has worked in strategic buying and today he is Global Lead Buyer for all adhesive raw materials. “As a buyer, I’m dealing with companies such as Exxon or BASF, which have billions of euros in annual revenue. Making Coroplast Tape and its special requirements heard against this backdrop is a difficult, even challenging task.” It means remaining constantly in contact, initiating joint projects and building strategic partnerships. And as these companies operate on a global basis, he is just as likely to meet their employees in China or the USA as in Europe. “ I speak with everyone locally, which is the best way to position Coroplast Tape there – in order to negotiate better opportunities and conditions. ” It’s hard work, but Roland Dzick relies on sport to achieve a work–life- balance. Here too, he is ready to go to extremes. “For several years now I haven’t just been running half marathons, but also OCRs, i.e. specially designed, extremely challenging obstacle course races that really demand everything from you. I simply enjoy testing out my own personal limits."
Bochum and the rest of the world
Despite his love of travelling, Roland Dzick has remained true to his roots and the region where he grew up. “I was born in Bochum and still live here in the coal mining district,” he says, smiling. The main thing for him is to make a difference and that’s why it was logical to join a medium-sized enterprise such as Coroplast and not a giant chemical firm like BP. “Here I had a contact who was interested in me and my further development right from the start – someone who really represented my interests. I don’t regret any of my past decisions because I feel highly appreciated here at Coroplast Tape and within my purchasing team.” He has just completed his Master’s degree in Cologne in a part-time study arrangement and between studying and travelling, as a VFL Bochum fan, has bought himself a season ticket for his favourite football club to stay in contact with his old circle of friends. And if you ask him what he would do if he won 10 million euros in the lottery, he says: “Continue working – what else?"
