How IXOM Builds Stronger Partnerships Across the Water Industry

As Key Account Manager at IXOM, Ryan Walker plays a pivotal role in shaping how the organisation partners with water industry suppliers and utilities across Australia. His work goes far beyond traditional account management to deliver a strategic collaboration model that builds on shared priorities, creating resilient, bespoke supply chains that help customers operate with confidence.

A Role Built on Relationships, Insight and Strategic Support

Ryan describes his role simply: connecting the dots.

Historically, account management in the sector was transactional. But for Ryan and IXOM, the approach is different. “We focus on building strategic relationships grounded in trust, reliability, and a genuine partnership mindset."

That means working closely with water utilities to understand what’s most important to their operations and the communities they serve. By uncovering their pressure points and future needs, IXOM can provide solutions that support continuous improvement, long term planning, and risk mitigation.

“We want to be the trusted advisor, the partner customers turn to first. That requires us to have skin in the game,” Ryan says. Ryan collaborates closely with customers, raw material suppliers, freight partners and internal technical teams to forge connections that help build capability, design bespoke supply chains and respond quickly when challenges arise.

Long Term Partnerships and Solving Challenges Together

Ryan shares a recent example where IXOM identified future risks in a partner’s operations. Working together, IXOM invested in expanded capacity at one of its sites, installing additional storage tanks to support the customer’s need for multiple coagulant types depending on seasonal water conditions.

“Building the infrastructure on our site solved red tape challenges for the customer, helped them plan for variability in water quality, and doubled our storage capacity for when they’re running on alum” Ryan explains. IXOM also committed to a long term contract that secures exclusive use of the tanks for the partner, reinforcing both organisations’ commitment to the relationship.

This kind of proactive investment is increasingly common as IXOM collaborates with customers to map supply chains, identify vulnerabilities and design contingencies.

Turning Insights Into Measurable Improvements

Through supply chain mapping workshops, IXOM and the customer uncovered opportunities to strengthen business continuity across core products, including chlorine and caustic. Together, they established dedicated contingency products , addressed supply gaps, and improved accessibility.

Transparency has been essential to this progress. Monthly KPI reviews have created a shared language and reinforce accountability. “It’s important to play open cards. Transparency is a business philosophy of mine - without trust between customer and supplier, it’s hard to maintain a productive relationship,” Ryan says.

IXOM also organises regular site visits to bridge commercial and operational teams. Customers meet the people manufacturing and delivering their products; IXOM’s site teams see first hand the impact of their work. It builds mutual respect, ownership and a stronger sense of partnership.

Technical Strength That Sets IXOM Apart

According to Ryan, IXOM’s biggest differentiator is its ability to operate as one partner with thousands of solutions.

“Our technical depth, supply chain capability and manufacturing expertise allow us to step in quickly when customers need something outside the standard offering,” he says.

A recent example is calcite. When a customer needed access, IXOM rapidly sourced alternative suppliers and created a new supply chain, leveraging its product management expertise, technical know how and freight partnerships. This agility - and the willingness to build bespoke solutions - demonstrates why many utilities rely on IXOM as their single, trusted partner.

The Value of Partnering with IXOM

Ryan summarises the value simply:

• A can do approach backed by deep sector knowledge
• Carefully designed processes that protect people and product integrity
• Unmatched experience in safe manufacturing and delivery
• A partnership mindset, grounded in transparency, collaboration and continuous improvement

“Safety is core to what we do. Our work is high risk, and we do it well, but we never get complacent,” he says.

By connecting people, building shared understanding, and designing supply chains that evolve with customer needs, IXOM continues to strengthen its role as the partner water utilities trust to keep their communities supplied - safely, reliably and for the long term.

To learn how we can solve your water challenges, explore our full range of water solutions.