Building a more responsible purchasing model
In a global context of market instability and increasingly demanding sustainability standards, TIMAC AGRO International Director of Strategic Raw Materials Simon Chapron and Alan Lec’hvien, Operations Director at Phosphea, share their experiences and explain how Groupe Roullier is transforming its purchasing model and practices.
How do you structure risk management for raw materials markets to ensure continuity of supply?
Simon Chapron / We operate in markets that are subject to major shocks and structural transformations, which make purchasing cycles less understandable and predictable… And then there’s the constantly changing regulatory environment. We know that supply disruption is a given, and we are organising our systems to absorb those disruptions without jeopardising our operational continuity. So our challenge is to anticipate and manage them by thinking in terms of scenarios to which we can adapt quickly and consistently.
Alan Lec’hvien / Historically, our purchasing model has adopted a multi-sourcing strategy to reduce our exposure to geopolitical uncertainties and market fluctuations. This approach has given us a sourcing system built around multiple geographies and a diverse network of supply chain partners.
What role does raw materials supply play in the context of overall Group performance?
A. L. / Raw materials determine our long-term ability to produce our products, deliver them, and fulfil our commitments to customers. They also play a key role in the performance of our products and the development of solutions with a lower environmental impact.
S. C. / We’re constantly monitoring markets to identify new materials for the Centre Mondial de l’Innovation Roullier, and liaise closely with supplier markets for our innovation projects.
How do you integrate compliance and governance issues into your selection and oversight of suppliers?
S. C. / We apply a structured approach to integrating ESG criteria into our purchasing decisions, and pay particularly close attention to governance and compliance issues. We’ve also put in place a partner qualification and inspection system that includes enhanced checking of ownership structures, beneficial owners and exposure to regulatory risks or sanctions. This system is further augmented by the use of specialist tools and direct knowledge of partners for greater transparency and security of flow before we enter into any kind of commercial relationship.
A. L. / We’re engaged with an ongoing process of rolling out and harmonising these processes across the Group to guarantee their coverage and reliability, as well as integrating them fully into risk and purchasing management.
What are the principles that guide your collaborations today?
A. L. / We build long-term trust-based relationships with reliable partners. We apply our high standards to working closely with them in implementing continuous improvement processes.
S. C. / Our supplier relationships are rooted in the principles of high standards, reliability and long-term responsibility. We work with partners that are capable of delivering on their commitments and keeping up with changes in our environment, particularly in terms of environmental and compliance issues.
What are your innovation priorities?
S. C. / We’re currently working on improving the efficiency of materials, reducing their environmental impact and introducing new alternatives in a controlled way. We prefer solutions that are robust, can be industrially scaled, create long-term value and are compatible with our operational standards. Our approach is built in conjunction with the Centre Mondial de l’Innovation Roullier around a structured ecosystem, and is also locally specific for greater relevance and applicability.
A. L. / We’re also developing projects to integrate renewable sources into the manufacture of our products. For example, we’re currently making greater use of byproducts, such as scallop shells, as a partial replacement for the calcium currently used. Other initiatives are also underway to assess the use of recycled mussel shells and fish bones.
What other levers are you using to reduce the supply chain carbon footprint?
S. C. / Reducing our carbon footprint is about more than simply choosing the right raw materials; it also means a transformation around maritime shipping, which is how we transport a significant proportion of our flows. So our approach is to address the organisational aspects, as well as relevant technological levers. We are progressively introducing lower-emission transport solutions. In 2025, nearly 20% of the vessels we chartered offered enhanced environmental performance, largely as a result of using variable or hybrid propulsion systems that reduce emissions per voyage by as much as 30%. We’re also working on logistics plan efficiency through better scheduling of flows, optimisation of routes and load factors, and reduction of nonoptimised routes.
A. L. / Optimising logistics flows is also a major focus at Phosphea. We’re sharing some of our flows with TIMAC AGRO, including those transported by a chartered hybrid vessel with electric propulsion. We’ve also introduced a daily shuttle service between a raw materials supplier and our Saint-Malo plant. The B100 pure biodiesel used reduces CO₂ emissions by around 37 tonnes per year. We’re actively considering introducing a second daily service in 2026.