Strategic Cost Reduction
APD resources to learn about strategic sourcing, reducing costs, and implementing sourcing strategies.
Blog Articles
On-Demand Webinars
Hacks to Quickly Implement Untapped Cost Savings Opportunities
Lessons from both direct materials and indirect spend projects that have delivered substantial costs savings in as little as 14 weeks
Predictive Pricing: Why it is Better than Should Be Cost Models
Learn how to successfully predict the pricing for new components and services.
Strategic Sourcing: Simple Steps Before You Market Test
Learn the eight steps that will convert an ordinary Request for Quotation (RFQ) into a strategic sourcing triumph.
Quick and Effective Savings Hacks: 5 Key Strategies from APD’s Expert Consultants
Learn some of the most impactful strategies are surprisingly straightforward, yet incredibly effective.
Online Training Programs
Cost Management Certification
Focuses on identifying, analyzing, and negotiating better pricing with suppliers. Participants complete a course project that delivers real-time value applying the methods taught in the course.
Fast-Track Savings Workshop
A hands-on workshop combining training in APD’s straightforward Fast-Track Savings process with a real-world market test to quickly optimize your company’s commodity buy for direct materials or indirect spend.
Strategic Sourcing 101
This short 2-hour course focuses on aligning your supply base with the needs of your organization, a critical component in a successful strategic sourcing effort.
Blog Articles
Automotive Should Be Built for Collaborative Negotiation. So Why Is It Becoming More Competitive? – 6/11/26
Learn why effective cost management requires more than cost data alone and how stronger buyer-supplier collaboration can improve cost discussions.
Need Fast Purchasing Savings? Use This 5-Step Approach – 6/4/26
A 5-step approach to identifying overlooked purchasing savings opportunities and accelerating cost reduction results.
The 4 Phases of an Effective Strategic Sourcing Initiative – 4/23/26
Break down strategic sourcing into four focused phases to improve cost outcomes, reduce supply risk, and strengthen supplier alignment.
5 Steps Indirect Buyers Use Unlock Savings Opportunities with Cost Tables – 1/8/26
A practical example of how cost tables turn fragmented spend data into actionable insight that drives sustainable cost reduction.
Finding Cost Savings When Everything Is More Expensive – 11/13/25
Here’s how procurement teams can use existing data to find meaningful savings without new systems.
Strategic Sourcing for Indirect Spend – 10/16/25
See how strategic sourcing boosts indirect spend performance—delivering $1M+ in savings, stronger supplier alignment, and better stakeholder collaboration.
Procurement at the Crossroads: Turning Risk into Resilience Through Capability – 10/9/25
Procurement is at a crossroads—caught between rising risks and new AI-powered opportunities to build resilience and lasting capability.
The Savings Beat Goes On: Why 2026 Results Start Now – 9/25/25
Discover why the path to hitting 2026 savings targets begins with the projects you start today.
6 Ways to Use Chat to Better Understand Supplier Costs – 8/7/25
Six RTCO prompts to use ChatGPT for supplier cost insight, price-increase validation, and sharper negotiation questions.
What Buyers Are Doing Right Now to Deliver Savings in a Time of Chaos – 6/2/25
See how buyers are using real-time data, cost models, and strategic sourcing to deliver measurable savings—even in today’s chaotic, tariff-driven environment.
Companies That Offset Tariffs Have One Thing in Common: Cost & Negotiation Skills – 4/29/25
Learn how top-performing procurement teams protect profit margins by using costing and negotiation skills to offset tariff-related supplier price increases.
Driving Cost Savings on Indirect Spend – 4/15/25
Learn practical strategies to drive meaningful cost savings on indirect spend in the face of rising costs and global uncertainty.
Using AI Chatbots to Deliver Purchasing Cost Savings – 3/20/25
Six ways AI chatbots can help manufacturing purchasing teams drive cost savings and optimize procurement strategies.
8 Important Activities Before Launching a Strategic Sourcing Market Test
– 2/27/25
Discover the key activities to complete before launching a strategic sourcing market test for optimal supplier selection and cost savings.
3 Proven Approaches for Purchasing Cost Savings | 3-minute video – 1/16/25
Learn three different approaches companies have proven to be successful, and the differences between them.
3 Steps for Engaging Stakeholders – 11/19/24
Follow these steps to effectively engage stakeholders early and thoroughly in the sourcing process.
Critical Information for Market Testing MRO – 10/15/24
Safeguard your process from two pitfalls that typically get in the way of MRO Savings.
Using Cost Tables to Find Savings – 10/9/24
A simple tool for finding savings opportunities.
5 Keys to Implementing Purchasing Cost Savings Quickly – 8/28/24
A streamlined approach for implementing cost savings on existing spend that is designed for quick implementation, with savings typically beginning within 4 months.
Shortcut to Realizing Cost Savings Faster – 7/23/24
Discover how to achieve $200K+ in just 14 weeks with our Fast-Track Savings approach.
When You Should – and Shouldn’t – Consider Strategic Sourcing – 6/5/24
Learn the pitfalls of strategic sourcing.
Why Do Cost Reduction Programs Fail? – 5/22/24
Attributes that create high success rates for purchasing and cost reduction.
Achieving Cost Savings in 2024: Advanced Purchasing Strategies – 12/6/23
Processes buyers are using to achieve savings while they build their skills in APD’s Cost Management Certification course.
Cost Savings Insights from Manufacturing Leaders – 9/27/23
Summary of lessons shared by a dozen leaders from manufacturing companies from a variety of industries during APD executive roundtables.
Time to Take a Closer Look at Indirect Savings – 6/7/23
Examples for impressive cost savings on MRO and corrugated packaging.
Finding Untapped Savings Opportunities – 4/19/23
Questions you should be asking that will help you identify which commodities have a savings potential.
The First Step for Negotiating Better Resin Prices – 4/12/23
Tools to identify specific materials that should be priced lower.
Strategic Sourcing Corrugated Packaging – 2/1/23
Three areas buyers typically need to work on reduce “knowledge gaps” to successfully run a strategic sourcing process for corrugated packaging.
What’s Your 2023 Savings Plan? – 1/4/23
Cost savings plans from manufacturing purchasing leaders shared at an APD Executive Roundtable.
On-Demand Webinars
Hacks to Quickly Implement Untapped Cost Savings Opportunities
Lessons from both direct materials and indirect spend projects that have delivered substantial costs savings in as little as 14 weeks
Predictive Pricing: Why it is Better than Should Be Cost Models
Learn how to successfully predict the pricing for new components and services.
Strategic Sourcing: Simple Steps Before You Market Test
Learn the eight steps that will convert an ordinary Request for Quotation (RFQ) into a strategic sourcing triumph.
Quick and Effective Savings Hacks: 5 Key Strategies from APD’s Expert Consultants
Learn some of the most impactful strategies are surprisingly straightforward, yet incredibly effective.
Reducing Costs While Improving Value
Learn three key steps to improving value while delivering savings on purchased materials and services.
Delivering on Strategic Sourcing
Learn the critical success factors for a successful strategic sourcing project that quickly deliver cost savings while ensuring supply and aligning supplier capabilities with the needs of the organization.
Saving on Indirect Spend
Learn key points for achieving savings in three “commodity” areas of indirect spend where we’ve had the greatest success: factory supplies, packaging, and freight.
Reducing Corrugated Packaging Costs
Learn best practices for conducting a market test of corrugated packaging, as well as lessons learned from a recently completed strategic sourcing project.
5 Critical Processes for a Successful Cost Year
Learn what leading companies are doing to recover lost during the Covid crisis.
Strategies to Mitigate Supplier Price Increase
Learn 5 mitigating strategies for dealing with supplier price increase requests.
5 Cost Reduction Successes from Cost Management Certification Participants
Learn how attendees from the Cost Management Certification Program have achieved amazing results from their course projects.
Online Training Programs
Cost Management Certification
Focuses on identifying, analyzing, and negotiating better pricing with suppliers. Participants complete a course project that delivers real-time value applying the methods taught in the course.
Fast-Track Savings Workshop
A hands-on workshop combining training in APD’s straightforward Fast-Track Savings process with a real-world market test to quickly optimize your company’s commodity buy for direct materials or indirect spend.
Strategic Sourcing 101
This short 2-hour course focuses on aligning your supply base with the needs of your organization, a critical component in a successful strategic sourcing effort.
Other Resources on this Topic
Procurement Cost Reduction is Top Priority
Procurement Magazine, 2/15/24
Consulting Services
Fast-Track Savings
Quickly implement six-figure cost reductions on categories with untapped savings opportunities such as MRO, resins, freight, and packaging.
Cost Engineering
Achieve lower prices by understanding supplier cost drivers and validate supplier quotes with predictive pricing models.
Strategic Sourcing
Deliver durable cost reductions on direct material and indirect categories with $5M+ spend under management.