Interview Hilti: Federico Scotti di Uccio and Lisa van Lierop

When Lisa van Lierop started her internship at Hilti, she already had a good understanding of Materials Management and Multi Echelon Inventory Optimization. To Federico Scotti di Uccio, Lisa and Hilti were a match made in heaven: “Lisa immediately expressed an enthusiasm to dive deep into Multi Echelon Inventory Optimization. This topic is of great interest to us at Hilti Logistics. On top of that, Lisa demonstrated a tenacity to collect and compute large amounts of data and information that is sometimes challenging to obtain because of the complexity of processes and stakeholders involved.”

Inventory management is an important area of the supply chain and of Hilti’s business itself. As Federico explains, Lisa’s research is really beneficial to the company: “The right size/ volume and positioning of inventory means that we can better serve our customers in the most efficient manner. Too much inventory has an impact on working capital and costs, too little has an impact on service. It is crucial to have the right methodology and understanding of how the network and product characteristics influence the optimal result.”

In the research Lisa conducted for Hilti, access to good data is vital. It forms the basis of all analysis and modelling. Without it, it is not possible to prove any theory or concepts and to operationalize them. Acquiring and simultaneously computing large amounts of data is however one of the main challenges companies generally face in this context. That is why it is important that talented students get the opportunity to proof themselves at companies such as Hilti. They have up-to-date knowledge that can really make a difference in solving these complex problems.

The past few years, the TU/e has proven to be an excellent talent pool for Hilti to fish in. And as far as Federico is concerned, Lisa certainly is not the last intern they will hire. “We have a strong collaboration with TU/e and we will continue hosting students depending on our priorities and availability. These collaborations are a good opportunity for the student and the university to combine theory and practice. But it is not only that. For us at Hilti, it is an opportunity to really investigate some important and prioritized topics. An internship also gives the student a chance to experience the corporate world for a few months. And in some cases, a successful internship can mark the beginning of a promising career here at Hilti.”

And much to the delight of all the parties involved, this is exactly what happened to Lisa after she graduated. Federico recalls: “During her internship, Lisa not only demonstrated a good understanding of her field and the Hilti Supply Chain, but she also integrated very well into our corporate culture, her team and the different stakeholders she had to deal with. Her energy and willingness to learn made her go the extra mile with her project. That is why we were pleased to welcome her into our company.”

And Lisa is also pleased. “My first contact with Hilti was during an event organized by ESCF. The international environment and the interesting supply chain triggered my interest for the company. During my master thesis, I got a chance to explore life at Hilti, and it convinced me that I wanted to continue my career with this company. Currently, I am working as a Global Materials Manager at Hilti in Liechtenstein.”

According to Federico, Data2Move played a large part in the success they had with the recruitment of interns. “Data2move was an excellent support in recruiting talented students. The Data2move community enables us to stay in touch with the academic world and gives us the opportunity to work with driven and enthusiastic students full of knowledge. During the internship, Data2Move is a big support and that contributes to the development of the student and the success of the project.”