10 years of CarboTech for Satrugna Vinjarapu

Management Trainee. Head of D/A/CH. Head of Sourcing. Satrugna Vinjarapu has enjoyed a meteoric career at CarboTech. In this interview, you will gain detailed insights into the challenges, everyday work and the striking personalities that have had a decisive influence on his professional career.

Alexandra Bünck: You studied chemistry at the University of Duisburg-Essen. After completing your bachelor’s degree, you started working at CarboTech. How did you find out about this company?

Satrugna Vinjarapu: In 2015, I completed my master’s degree (M.Sc.) in water sciences at the University of Duisburg-Essen. At the time, I was living near CarboTech. Since I had dealt extensively with topics such as activated carbon and water treatment during my master’s degree, my interest was immediately there!

Alexandra Bünck: What position did you start in at CarboTech?

Satrugna Vinjarapu: I originally applied for a position in field sales. However, due to my limited German language skills at the time, Mr. Moritz Gimpel, the managing director at the time, offered me the position of management trainee – an offer I gladly accepted and which laid the foundation for my professional development at CarboTech.

Alexandra Bünck: How did your career path develop from trainee to Head of Sourcing?

Satrugna Vinjarapu: Since joining CarboTech as a trainee, I have had the opportunity to work in various departments, which has given me valuable insights into different areas of expertise and strengthened my interdisciplinary skills. My technical knowledge and my linguistic and cultural skills ultimately paved the way for me to take on the position of Head of Sourcing.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to Mr. Daniel Böke, Managing Director of the CarboTech Group, for his trust and continuous support of my professional development. I particularly appreciate the opportunity to contribute my potential in such a dynamic environment.

Alexandra Bünck: What does your typical working day look like?

Satrugna Vinjarapu: Due to my diverse responsibilities within the company – including sourcing, sales and business development – my working day is varied and includes both strategic and operational tasks. The day often begins with analysing key figures such as sales, inventory control and budget monitoring.

In my role as Head of Sourcing, communication with suppliers and partners is one of the central aspects of my working day. It is important to ensure that we not only get the best prices and terms, but also guarantee the highest quality in the products we offer our valued customers. This includes negotiating contracts and proactively resolving any delivery issues. I work closely with various departments such as production, logistics, purchasing and finance to develop and implement the best possible solutions.

Alexandra Bünck: What challenges do you face most often in sourcing – and how do you deal with them?

Satrugna Vinjarapu: The challenges in my day-to-day work are varied, especially due to the fact that a large proportion of our raw materials and products are imported from Asia. The main challenges include price fluctuations, delivery bottlenecks, quality issues, logistical challenges and ensuring that delivery deadlines are met. In addition, market situations can change rapidly, making it difficult to conclude long-term contracts and adhere to budgets precisely.

Effective communication and close cooperation with our suppliers and within the various departments of the company are key factors in successfully meeting these challenges and finding the necessary solutions.

Alexandra Bünck: Was there a moment that was particularly formative for your career?

Satrugna Vinjarapu: A particularly formative moment in my career was when I took over responsibility for the N2-CMS business unit. In my role as Sales Manager for N2-CMS at CarboTech, I was able to significantly increase sales. However, this success was only possible thanks to excellent teamwork, which included close cooperation between different departments and a constructive partnership with our customers.

Another outstanding highlight of my professional career is the development of new products and the acquisition of additional suppliers for the dynamically growing market of the activated carbon industry. This activity enables me to continuously gain new insights and motivates me to search worldwide for innovative raw materials and strategic partners.

Alexandra Bünck: What motivates you to still be here after so many years?

Satrugna Vinjarapu: The constantly changing and challenging situations in the supply chain, the current developments in the activated carbon industry and the pleasant working relationship with my colleagues at CarboTech motivate me to continue my work here with commitment.

Alexandra Bünck: What has changed the most at CarboTech over the last 10 years?

Satrugna Vinjarapu: As part of our digital transformation, we are implementing various initiatives, including the implementation of ViFlow, Salesforce and HR tools, as well as process adjustments and optimisations. We are also working on internationalisation in the HR department and promoting teamwork. The most recent change is our new administration building – another reason to come to the office with a smile every day.

Alexandra Bünck: Looking back, would you take the same path again or what would you do differently?

Satrugna Vinjarapu: Looking back, I can look back on an extremely satisfying professional career. The diverse experiences have given me valuable insights, especially with regard to efficient decision-making. This ability enables me to react quickly in challenging situations and respond flexibly to new information. The combination of sales and sourcing activities has given me a holistic understanding of the entire value chain. This experience enables me to actively contribute to business development. If I were to do anything differently, I would focus on interface functions even earlier and in a more targeted manner, as this is often where the most exciting strategic ideas arise.

Alexandra Bünck: What skills have you learned at CarboTech?

Satrugna Vinjarapu: I have strong negotiation skills and strategic and long-term thinking abilities. I also have excellent language and communication skills, coupled with a high degree of adaptability and sound risk management. In sourcing, I learned not only how to manage complex supply chains operationally, but also how to develop them strategically – especially with regard to risk management, sustainability and building long-term supplier partnerships. The close cooperation between sales and sourcing was particularly valuable for me, as it taught me to think holistically, leverage synergies and contribute specifically to sustainable business development.

Alexandra Bünck: What advice would you give to future CarboTech trainees?

Satrugna Vinjarapu: I would like to encourage future employees and trainees to remain open to new areas of responsibility and to maintain a curious attitude that allows them to look beyond their own horizons. Flexibility and openness are essential for acquiring interdisciplinary knowledge and developing further. CarboTech offers a wide range of opportunities, and I encourage everyone to remain patient and calm – because together we will grow and successfully master the challenges of the future.

Alexandra Bünck: Do you have anything else to add?

Satrugna Vinjarapu: I would like to express my sincere thanks to all my superiors and colleagues at CarboTech for the enriching and successful cooperation. I would also like to thank my family and friends for their continuous support over the past years while I focused on building my career at CarboTech.I would particularly like to thank Mr. Moritz Gimpel and Mr. Daniel Böke for their valuable support.

Alexandra Bünck: Daniel Böke and Moritz Gimpel laid the foundations for your first milestones. That’s great. I’m sure they’ll enjoy reading and hearing that. Thank you very much for the interview.

Satrugna Vinjarapu: I was delighted to contribute to making the work at CarboTech more visible to the public with this interview.