APD’s 2026 survey shows how manufacturing procurement teams are using AI, which applications provide the most value, and what prevents broader adoption. Explore seven findings on chatbot access, time savings, practical use cases, training gaps, and the next steps procurement executives should consider.
Manufacturers often struggle to turn reshoring goals into a qualified regional supplier shortlist. Learn a three-step supplier sourcing process for aligning stakeholders, finding stronger North American candidates, and giving capable suppliers a reason to respond.
AI chatbots can help procurement professionals work faster, analyze information, and prepare stronger sourcing decisions. But access to a chatbot does not create capability. Boston Consulting Group found that 74% of frontline employees regularly use AI, yet only 36% believe they have received sufficient training….
A buyer completes a market test and identifies significant savings. The analysis is solid. The recommended supplier meets the documented requirements. Then the stakeholders refuse to change suppliers. This happens too frequently. The buyer starts by evaluating the supply market and approaches stakeholders after finding an opportunity. By then,…
Reshoring creates a challenge traditional sourcing teams do not always face: evaluating suppliers they may not know. After years of sourcing products overseas, many purchasing teams have limited knowledge of the North American supply base A supplier may appear capable based on its website or an introductory call. But…
Procurement teams are already using AI. The real question is whether they are using it well enough to improve business results. That distinction matters. According to the Work AI Institute, 87% of digital workers now use AI at work, and 75% say it makes them…
Indirect purchasing teams in manufacturing companies don’t get much recognition. Direct material savings are usually easier to measure. A buyer negotiates a lower part price. The savings flow into product cost. Finance can see the impact. Indirect purchasing is different. The work is spread across facilities, functions,…
Most procurement teams still approach sourcing as if suppliers are waiting to be selected. They’re not. Strong North American suppliers are busy. They are choosing which customers to support, which RFQs to quote, and where to allocate limited engineering and production capacity. If your team…
Sometimes manufacturers need cost reductions sooner rather than later. The problem is that traditional strategic sourcing takes time. A typical project requires months of spend analysis, stakeholder alignment, supplier discovery, market testing, negotiations, and implementation planning. Then comes supplier validation, customer approvals, and resourcing. The…
Indirect purchasing is messy by nature. A direct materials buyer may focus on a handful of categories tied to a production process. An indirect buyer often manages dozens of unrelated categories at the same time. Marketing services. MRO. Fleet. Travel. IT. Janitorial. Temporary labor. Capital…