Guest: Vincent Fleury, Procurement Director at Norbec
Written by: Claudine Fyfe, President of Fynlam
Procurement: From support function to strategic lever
Procurement is no longer a backstage role. It has become a strategic lever at the heart of competitiveness and corporate governance.
In this episode, Vincent Fleury, Procurement Director at Norbec, shares his journey, convictions, and the transformations he has led in recent years. His testimony sheds light on three essential pillars: centralizing purchasing, leveraging data, and developing skills.
“A piece of data left unused is truly a missed opportunity.”
From clerk to Director: A story of internal growth
Norbec, which operates three plants—in Boucherville, Saint-Hyacinthe, and most recently in Ontario—has undergone significant transformation in recent years. Vincent Fleury, who joined as a purchasing clerk 14 years ago, now serves as Procurement Director.
“It’s quite extraordinary to grow within the same company. It’s not always easy to do that.”
A turning point came seven years ago, when the company was acquired by a new president backed by Desjardins Capital. Accelerated growth, investments, and rising sales meant procurement needed to reinvent itself.
Centralization: A cultural shift made possible
Initially, each site managed its purchases independently—resulting in little synergy and inconsistency. Implementing a centralized procurement function was the key to supporting growth.
Centralization did not mean losing flexibility: each plant retains local autonomy, but within a broader framework that can be optimized. This approach has delivered:
- stronger supplier negotiations
- strategic management of raw materials
- clear alignment with company priorities
“Procurement is still, in part, a service function. To do a good job, we need to adapt our ways of working so that internal clients are satisfied. We need to remain attentive.”
Procurement analytics: looking beyond the surface
Transformation went beyond structure—it also harnessed the power of data.
The first step was to regroup purchases by category and extract historical data. This revealed hidden inefficiencies: too many suppliers, too many transactions, too much administrative burden.
Today, procurement analytics is a strategic planning tool—helping identify priorities, anticipate risks, and build collective action plans.
“Good data analysis […] is really valuable when you’re building your strategic plan or master plan at the start of the year.”
Maturity and Governance: A Six-Step Path to Transforming Procurement
- Assess the current situation: map processes, suppliers, and risks.
- Establish clear governance: roles, responsibilities, decision levels.
- Leverage data: implement dashboards and key indicators.
- Develop talent: plan training and attract hybrid profiles.
- Diversify and secure suppliers: reduce critical dependencies.
- Align procurement with corporate strategy: ESG, innovation, value creation.
Conclusion: A Strategic and Accessible Profession
What stands out in Vincent Fleury’s interview is the clarity and simplicity of his approach. He doesn’t portray procurement as a complex world reserved for experts, but as a concrete, accessible lever that directly drives business performance.
In a world of fast-changing markets and fragile supply chains, this conviction serves as a reminder: the future belongs to those who turn information into action.
This episode shows that with rigor, vision, and humility, procurement is not only a strategic profession but also a powerful engine of growth and resilience.
