BIOTRONIK relies on Unite: Digitalising indirect procurement with measurable success

Turning procurement challenges into opportunities 

BIOTRONIK Schweiz AG is a subsidiary of BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG, a global leader in cardiovascular, endovascular and neuromodulation medical technology. In Switzerland, the company focuses on cardiac electrotherapy and vascular interventions, including the development of stents and balloon catheters for treating vascular diseases. 

To identify optimisation potential and define a roadmap for digitalisation, BIOTRONIK Schweiz AG conducted a comprehensive internal review of its procurement processes. It quickly became evident that indirect procurement faced several hurdles, from time-consuming and error-prone processes to a complex supplier landscape. 
 
To make indirect procurement more efficient, transparent and future-proof, BIOTRONIK chose to introduce Unite as the central platform for indirect spend in its German and Swiss subsidiaries. Unite was fully integrated into the existing Jaggaer system landscape and has since provided purchasing departments with a powerful and intuitive interface.

From pain point to procurement success 

The benefits were soon felt. By using Unite’s integrated marketplace and linking existing framework agreements, procurement processes were significantly streamlined. The number of actively managed suppliers was greatly reduced, which also lowered the effort required for master data maintenance. What was previously handled through over 200 suppliers now runs centrally through Unite. 
 
In many cases, onboarding new suppliers is no longer necessary, as demand can be met using Unite’s existing catalogue and integrated supplier offers. At the Berlin site, BIOTRONIK automated 65% of indirect procurement through Unite, achieving a user adoption rate of over 95% within the first three months. 
 
Where time-consuming manual processes once dominated, procurement now runs quickly, digitally and seamlessly. The impact of Unite is also evident in the numbers: choosing a supplier previously required 3 to 5 emails; now a single click suffices. Average order time dropped from two hours to just 20 minutes. Delivery times were cut by up to 75% – from 5–7 days to 1–2 days. 
 
Thanks to Unite’s extensive integrated offer and continued use of framework agreements, quality and product choice are maintained while prices are now easily comparable. Even one-off special requests in indirect procurement can usually be handled and delivered quickly via Unite. 
 
Another major benefit: thanks to faster delivery (1–2 days) and demand-based, partially automated reordering, stock levels have been significantly reduced. 
 
The numbers speak for themselves: average process costs per order were reduced by 72% and maverick buying dropped by 72% to under 5%. “With Unite, we now have a central point of contact for indirect procurement – no more shadow processes,” says Leonardo Longaretti, Manager Sourcing Indirects Vascular Intervention at BIOTRONIK AG. 

More than efficiency: Strengthening sustainability and compliance 

In addition to efficiency gains, Unite also supports strategic corporate goals. Sustainable sourcing from local suppliers is made simpler and internal compliance requirements are easier to uphold. Transparency and traceability throughout the order process have been significantly improved. 
 
With Unite, BIOTRONIK Schweiz has implemented a scalable, future-proof solution for indirect procurement, delivering reduced effort, lower costs and increased transparency. “Unite is more than a marketplace – it’s a performance booster for smarter processes,” summarises Leonardo Longaretti, Manager Sourcing Indirects Vascular Intervention, BIOTRONIK AG.