How important would you say it's procurement for your business?
Very? Absolutely essential?
You are right
Counting on a solid strategy to source the goods your company needs and optimize all the processes involved is the foundation of any successful operation.
But how?
How can you come up with the best procurement decisions?
It's not a bad idea to start by listening to the people who've already been there in similar situations.
Introduction
How do purchasing activities work in the robotics industry? Branden Connolly, purchasing manager at Construction Robotics, can give us a detailed answer. He has been working for the company since 2017, and his career progression as he calls it is a bit unconventional. Branden started first as a full-service tech and moved later onto the manufacturing and engineering processes just to discover that purchasing was quietly becoming his main interest, one thing led to another and he found himself responsible for the purchasing department.
Identifying materials
Construction Robotics is a company that works to automate masonry and construction projects. How? By developing lift-assist technology. But of course, building that type of hardware isn't simple. Finding the exact materials they needed wasn't easy, there had to be an alignment between the components required to develop the Mule and the actual options available in the market.
Consolidation
One of the biggest challenges Branden faced in his role happened when they were in the early stages of production and had to find vendors with multiple capabilities. Because, just imagine, you are running on low-volume orders so you have to find the most efficient way to get all the materials your project needs without raising your costs.
Branden found that searching for consolidating strategies, and suppliers that could provide them with a good part of the components, was the best solution.
A different approach
There are, of course, many differences between startups and large companies, when it comes to procurement, however, there’s a critical aspect that can make things a bit harder for companies that are recently starting: Making yourself relevant. Start-ups that haven’t yet reached their full potential might face more obstacles to finding and attracting the attention of important suppliers. Vendors with big reputations often are more likely to work with large companies.
Find the right partners
For all those small businesses or companies that have just started, the biggest advice Branden can give is to be patient in your search for the right suppliers, think about them not just as the people delivering goods to your doors but as the partners that are going to be with you along the way. Stick with those who prove to be loyal to your vision and can support you in the unavoidable difficult times your business will face.
