Our 2017 survey of manufacturing company C-suite executives reinforced that purchasing needs to add more value to the bottom line (repeating a key finding of the 2016 survey). New insights from our 2017 survey and conversations with executives point towards supporting new business pursuit as a C-suite priority for purchasing.
Acquisitions provide companies with the opportunity, if executed well, to accelerate growth and create value in their business. However, poorly executed acquisitions that are overvalued or not integrated well can have negative impacts up to and including loss of your investment.
APD Placement conducted a survey of nearly 200 purchasing professionals in 2016 to find out what they valued in their current position, and what their priorities would be in a new job. The results were published in the white paper
The recent US election has brought with it the possibility of significant changes to corporate taxation, health care and trade policies with some of our largest trading partners. In this month’s Purchasing Insights we will talk about Trade.
A 2013 IBM study found that companies with high performing purchasing organizations achieve 22% higher margins. This figure is especially significant for manufacturer’s whose material as a percentage of sales most often falls between 50 and 70%. But what sets the high performing purchasing organizations apart and enables the margin improvement?
There is a common mistaken belief that Lemmings hurl themselves off of cliffs in an act of mass suicide to control their population. Actually, the Lemmings are participating in a mass migration. The fortunate land in the water and complete their migration; the unfortunate land on the rocks below. Similar to Lemmings, manufacturers have participated…
The domestic automotive industry has been on a tear since bottoming out during the great recession. Volumes have exceeded the previous peak, and there are plenty of indicators that a growing economy will continue to drive vehicle purchases. But there are plenty of reasons why growth will stall, ranging from weaknesses in global demand to…
I remember as a kid wanting a shiny new bicycle. My dad looked at my then current bike, dirty and uncared for, and said “Why get you a new bike when you don’t take care of the one that you have”. How does this apply to buyers? Many purchasing managers, directors and vice presidents come…
I find it almost cruel to do this but I am going to interrupt your summer with the following work-related thought. Most companies operate on a fiscal year that corresponds to the calendar year. Some of those companies have already started developing their business plans for 2017 and almost all, even those who have not…
Our experience is that far too often purchasing leaders see collaboration with the supply base and savings achievement as mutually exclusive goals; you can achieve one or the other, but not both. Perhaps that is why 58% of the CEO’s we surveyed questioned the value their purchasing organizations drop to the bottom line and 52%…