by Paul V. Arnold

A motorcycle won’t run without spark plugs.

For Harley-Davidson’s finely tuned MRO purchasing machine, Tony Wenzel is one of those spark plugs. He’s fired up about his job, his company and his future.

"Coming to work each day and seeing that we can enact change pumps me up," he says.

Wenzel is a supply chain lead at Harley-Davidson’s power train manufacturing plant in Milwaukee. It’s a non-management job title, but you won’t find a Harley employee that doesn’t consider him a leader.

Wenzel spends most of his time on the plant floor directing the Harley-Davidson Indirect Materials Alliance (HIMA) initiative at that location.

One day, he’s reviewing cost-saving projects initiated by HIMA supplier members (the three industrial distribution companies responsible for the lion’s share of Harley’s MRO products and services).

"I make sure those projects are moving in the right direction," he says. "If the suppliers need any resources, I’m there. To understand what they need, you have to be physically out there."

Another day, he’s leading a tour and presentation for top executives from one of the three suppliers or for the vice presidents of a capital equipment manufacturer. Wenzel is also responsible for all capital equipment purchases at the plant.

"It’s crucial that our goals align with the goals of the supplier’s top management," he says.

The next day, he’s at a supplier site to learn its purchasing and inventory management processes or run a workshop to make that company’s practices more efficient.

"You have to understand what goes on to be able to discuss things with your supplier," he says. "You have to understand how your product is manufactured. You have to understand the processes. You have to go to the supplier and understand how their processes work or how their products are manufactured. That way, when you do talk about pricing and negotiating, you have all the mechanics, all the engineering background. You do a better job and can work toward a win-win situation. You understand your needs and the supplier’s needs."

To gain knowledge about Harley-Davidson’s manufacturing processes, Wenzel talks as much as possible with plant engineers and production workers.

"The ability to read blueprints and understand our processes allows me to have meaningful dialogue with engineers when they come to me with a problem," he says. "The more you understand, the more you can impact the organization."

Wenzel’s "never stop learning" attitude was best exemplified last year when, at age 55, he earned a masters degree in business administration.

"I’m looking forward to the future," he says. "The way we did things yesterday and today aren’t the way we’ll do things tomorrow. I’m ready for the challenge."

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