The Ten-Year Practical Insights of a Sheet Metal Processing Purchasing Manager+ View more
The Ten-Year Practical Insights of a Sheet Metal Processing Purchasing Manager
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Date：2024-12-26 09:38
Having delved deep into the field of sheet metal processing purchasing for ten years, I have experienced countless challenges and opportunities and accumulated many precious experiences that few people know about. Today, I am willing to share them with you without reservation.When I first stepped into this industry, I thought that as long as I found a supplier with a low price, I could complete the task. However, reality gave me a hard slap in the face. Once, I was deceived by the extremely attractive low price of a supplier and signed the contract in a hurry. As a result, during the production process, in order to compress costs, the supplier used inferior raw materials, causing the strength and corrosion resistance of the products to fall far short of the requirements. This not only caused the company to lose a large amount of funds but also seriously affected the company's reputation. Since then, I have understood that purchasing is by no means just a game of price.When choosing a supplier, an in-depth background investigation is crucial. In addition to inspecting their equipment, technical team and production process, it is also necessary to understand their financial situation. There was once a supplier who seemed normal on the surface, but during the cooperation process, due to a broken capital chain, they were unable to purchase raw materials on time, resulting in the delay of our orders. Through this lesson, I learned to carefully evaluate the financial stability of the supplier before cooperation, check their capital flow, debt level and past financial disputes.Just like Dongguan Fuzhan Electronics in Guangdong, China, we not only inspected their hardware strength but also deeply investigated their soft power, including the management level and financial situation, thereby ensuring stable and reliable cooperation. They performed particularly well in precision sheet metal processing parts.The formulation of contract terms is a meticulous job. Not only should the conventional terms such as product specifications, quality standards and delivery dates be clarified, but detailed agreements on possible risks should also be made. For example, for cost changes caused by fluctuations in raw material prices, a clear adjustment mechanism should be specified; for liability for compensation for quality problems, a clear calculation method should be formulated. Once, due to the ambiguity of the quality compensation terms in the contract, when quality problems occurred, we got into a lengthy dispute with the supplier, causing huge losses to the company.In negotiations with suppliers, mastering psychological tactics is the key. Be good at listening to the demands of the other party while also firmly expressing your position. For example, when a supplier requests a price increase citing rising costs, I will not reject it immediately. Instead, I will first understand their specific situation, then put forward some suggestions for improving the production process and increasing efficiency, and jointly look for ways to reduce costs. If a price increase is truly unavoidable, more added value should also be sought, such as extending the warranty period and increasing technical support.For the purchase of raw materials, establishing a stable supply chain is essential. Establishing long-term cooperation with high-quality raw material suppliers can not only ensure the stability of quality but also obtain more favorable prices and priority supply rights. I once spent a lot of time and energy looking for reliable raw material suppliers and established deep cooperative relationships with them. This enables us to still obtain sufficient raw materials when the market supply is tight and ensures the smooth progress of production.In addition, keeping a close eye on new technologies and new processes in the industry is also indispensable. Once, I discovered a new surface treatment technology that could improve corrosion resistance and appearance quality of the product without increasing costs. I immediately communicated with the supplier and introduced this technology, making our products more competitive in the market.During my ten-year purchasing career, I have also deeply realized the importance of data analysis. Through in-depth analysis of purchasing data, potential problems and optimization space can be discovered. For example, by analyzing the price trends and quality performance of different suppliers, partners can be selected more accurately; by analyzing the consumption data of raw materials, inventory management can be optimized and inventory costs can be reduced.In conclusion, sheet metal processing purchasing work is a field full of challenges and opportunities. We need to have sharp insight, profound industry knowledge, excellent negotiation skills and rigorous data analysis capabilities. I hope my experiences can be helpful to you, allowing you to avoid detours and achieve better results in this field.
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