As part of National Procurement Month, we’re recognizing the significant role our broader Supply Chain department plays at Blattner.
Behind every one of our successful renewable energy projects is a strong supply chain built on trusted relationships and strategic decision-making. Blattner’s Supply Chain team plays a critical role in securing materials, managing logistics and ensuring projects across the country stay on schedule. But their work goes beyond materials--by evolving with industry demands and prioritizing collaboration, the team drives progress and ensures overall project success.
Choosing the right vendors and supply partners is key to this success. Reliability, integrity and shared goals and values guide every decision. “It’s easier to set expectations and discuss how we service the projects when we share the same mindset,” said Jared Andrashko, Senior Manager – Category Sourcing and Purchasing.
One of those partner success stories has been in the management of cranes. Ensuring 150 cranes are at the right job sites with the right crews across wind, solar and energy storage projects requires strategic planning and trusted partnerships. Aaron Welsh, Senior Manager – Crane & Rigging, has been part of Blattner’s crane team for more than two decades. “The crane environment at Blattner has been an evolution,” he said, “That meant building vendor relationships, training key personnel and understanding the equipment inside and out.”
With materials and supplies being sourced globally, navigating challenges is inevitable. “When challenges do arise, we take a problem-solving approach with our suppliers,” Jared said. When a key supplier faced a delay that could have pushed delivery back six months, Jared’s team worked alongside them to find solutions. “We were able to work together and pull the date up by four months. The supplier told us, ‘You guys were easy to work with. Blattner came in as ‘we,’ not ‘me’.”
In addition, Blattner’s ability to forecast long-term material needs benefits suppliers, clients and projects. “By providing a multi-year runway for our suppliers, we enable them to maintain consistent production schedules, which benefits everyone—better quality, better pricing and better reliability,” Jared said.
“Our clients require us to buy materials or equipment from certain sources, so we’re constantly working with suppliers to understand their priorities,” said Jamey Widman, Director – Sourcing & Supply Management. This collaboration helps maintain project momentum, even in unpredictable market conditions.
For Blattner’s onsite project teams, timely material deliveries are essential. The Supply Chain team ensures everything arrives when and where it’s needed. Regional Inventory Manager Cloe Clodfelter oversees material management across multiple projects, coordinating a team of 15 Site Inventory Specialists on seven solar projects in seven different states. She sees first-hand the importance of Supply Chain’s work at the project level.
“If Supply Chain doesn’t do their job well and on time, our site teams don’t have what they need to build the projects—it’s mission-critical to us and to our clients to meet our deadlines,” she said. Managing materials, she explains, is like solving a giant puzzle, requiring trust, agility and seamless communication with vendors, suppliers and site teams. “In the long run, we all have the same goals: Get it. And get it done on time,” Cloe said.
Blattner’s Supply Chain team members are relationship builders, problem solvers and strategic partners who keep the renewable energy industry moving forward. Their ability to anticipate challenges, adapt to changing market conditions and foster long-term partnerships ensures that projects stay on track and teams in the field have what they need to succeed.
“Our success is built on collaboration,” Jared said. “When we work together with our suppliers, clients and site teams, we create solutions that benefit everyone.”
