The Strategic Sourceror

Clorox repositioning, expanding its healthcare business

2012-06-01T19:44:00.001-04:00

Clorox aims to triple the size of its healthcare products business by 2017, growing revenue to $300 million. Don Knauss, the chief executive of Clorox, told Reuters that about half the anticipated growth will come through acquisitions of businesses worth between $10 million and $50 million. The Clorox healthcare line, which includes disinfectant products and sanitizers, grew from a $2 million business to a $10 million business in the last five years, according to Knauss. Already in 2012,...

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Fiat proposes CNH farm business merger

2012-05-31T18:44:00.001-04:00

Fiat Industrial is looking to form a merger with the U.S.-based farm and construction vehicle business CNH, which would shift the company's capital center to the United States, dropping the Fiat name. Sergio Marchionne, Fiat Industrial chairman, recently called for the full merger, but also cautioned that it would not be a precursor to a merger between the companies' auto businesses, which are in a three-year partnership, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. Following a possible deal...

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How Car Manufacturers are Saving Big - Spare Tires

2012-05-31T17:20:00.001-04:00

No, I’m not referring to what is around many Americans mid-sections. One thing most people don’t plan for is being stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire. It usually ruins your day. It used to be that any time this happened you would pop open the trunk, take out the spare tire, jack, and tools and get to work replacing it. If you paid attention when your Dad (or Mom) taught you had to do this right you could be back on the road in 10 minutes. Years ago many car manufacturers did away...

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Maine wind industry group promoting supply chain capabilities

2012-05-31T16:44:00.003-04:00

The Maine Wind Industry Initiative will organize a Maine Wind Industry Pavilion at WINDPOWER, which takes place from June 3-6 in Atlanta. The group is planning to further advance Maine's wind energy supply chain products and professional service business at the event. "Maine continues to demonstrate high-caliber wind energy capabilities at national and international conventions and has become a serious wind power supply chain resource," said Paul Williamson, MWII director and...

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Supply chain struggles for Apple

2012-05-31T16:04:00.003-04:00

Apple's Asian supply chain is struggling to meet demand for the company's next series of products, which is planned to be released soon. According to the Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes' unnamed sources, suppliers are having difficulties meeting demand for the production of more Apple products as a result of not being able to find enough workers to make components. The new MacBooks are expected to debut this summer, but the demand far outweighs the supply. The source...

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EP Energy acquired by Apollo Global Management

2012-05-31T15:44:00.003-04:00

Oil and gas company EP Energy was recently acquired by investment funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management, Riverstone Holdings, Access Industries and Korea National Oil Corporation for an estimated $7.15 billion. EP Energy has operations that include programs in southern Texas, Louisiana and Utah. The recent acquisition comes after the company saw first quarter production volumes up 11 percent year-over-year. "We are excited about our partnership with Apollo, Riverstone, and our...

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Hospital searches for partner

2012-05-31T15:44:00.001-04:00

The University of Louisville Hospital is looking to partner with another hospital and expand its patient base, according to a consultant's report released recently. The Courier-Journal reported that even if the hospital improves its operations and business strategy, a partner will still be needed to handle the daily operations of the medical facility. Consultants from Dixon Hughes Goodman from Hudson, Ohio, recently advised the hospitals ad hoc committee, which was formed to oversee an...

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Dell completes acquisition of Wyse Technology

2012-05-30T17:44:00.003-04:00

Dell recently announced it completed its acquisition of Wyse Technology, which is a global leader in cloud client computing. The acquisition gives Dell the ability to offer its customers new end-to-end IT solutions. The computer company has made significant strategic investments over the past three years to expand its enterprise technology and services capabilities. "We're excited to officially welcome Wyse to Dell and help extend its industry-leading efforts to a broader range of...

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Device tax not a windfall, lobby says

2012-05-30T17:44:00.001-04:00

Letters from hospitals and group purchasing organizations that pleaded with the IRS to ensure device makers pay for their share of the cost of health reform were recently answered by a medical imaging original equipment manufacturer trade lobby. The lobby said that an excise tax planned to be implemented next year would not be a windfall for the industry. "Only in Washington could paying a $30 billion tax over the next 10 years be viewed as a windfall opportunity, but that's exactly...

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Saving on Medical Expenses

2012-05-30T17:21:00.000-04:00

In the professional world, sourcing and negotiations are part of my job, but I tend to take these two tasks and apply them to my personal world. I find myself more and more sourcing and negotiating things for my house, looking for the best deals for clothes and shoes, food shopping, and even look for ways to save when it comes to my health. I recently read two articles on CNNMoney.com that outline some helpful savings tips for reducing your medical expenses. Reviewing your...

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Canadian railway workers go on strike

2012-05-30T16:44:00.001-04:00

Workers at the Canadian Pacific Railway recently walked off the job, starting a strike that could have a detrimental impact on several industries. Canadian Pacific accounts for close to 40 percent of Canada's rail activity. According to Bob Ballatyne, president of the Canadian Industrial Transportation Association, anything more than a few days is going to have a huge impact on Canadian supply systems, according to CBC News. Among the industries expected to be affected by the strike are...

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The Ethical Supply Chain

2012-05-30T00:31:00.000-04:00

Supply Chain Managers are facing unprecedented pressure from consumer and activist groups to increase transparency regarding the sustainability, ethics, and fair labor standards of their low cost country suppliers. The high profile story of Apple's Chinese supplier FoxConn and their factories' labor conditions have led many to investigate how labor conditions come to be harsh or unfair and what can be done to avoid it. Some resources that supply managers can utilize while...

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$2 billion mark in supply chain savings passed

2012-05-29T18:44:00.003-04:00

Global Healthcare Exchange, which is a company that helps to lower the cost of doing business in healthcare by constructing better supply chain management, recently passed the $2 billion mark in supply chain savings among its North American customers. GHX trading partner's savings have been tracked since January 2010 as part of a strategic goal of reducing healthcare costs by $5 billion over the course of five years. "This is an important milestone for the healthcare industry,"...

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Airline industry as model for healthcare supply chain

2012-05-29T18:44:00.001-04:00

According to a recent post on Healthcare Matters' website, the airline industry is proving what the phrase "last in wins" means when referring to supply chains - and this could be relevant to healthcare. Older airlines are at an extreme disadvantage compared with newcomers because they have the added expense and responsibility of managing maintenance and repair for multiple types of models of various aircrafts they required over time. Each aircraft model has its own replacement...

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Supply chain improvements targeted by Pinnacle

2012-05-29T18:04:00.001-04:00

Pinnacle Food Group LLC, which is a producer, marketer and distributor of high-quality branded food products, recently announced plans to continue improving the efficiency of its supply chain by downsizing its Vlasic pickle production into one plant in Imlay City, Michigan. Another pickle production plant that is affiliated with Pinnacle - in Millsboro, Delaware - will stop production around the end of the year. "It is never an easy decision to close a plant," said Tony Fernandez,...

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Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) - Good Idea or Bad Idea?

2012-05-29T15:41:00.001-04:00

BYOD is an idea that management sees as a savings opportunity: the mobility budget can potentially be removed altogether, taking ownership and liability away from the company and placing it on the user. Ideally what would happen is the user would pay for their own device and plan, but that almost never happens because if employees feel that if they are expected to use the device for work then the company should pay for it. Instead, stipend or reimbursement programs are setup. ...

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Samsung Galaxy S3, Ice Cream Sandwich, with a Pebble Blue on top

2012-05-29T13:20:00.001-04:00

Samsung is releasing the Galaxy S3, the latest Android smartphone, today to 28 European and Middle Eastern countries who have pre-orders. The US Market should see the Galaxy S3 in the summer of 2012. Samsung boasts 9 million pre-orders worldwide in anticipation of the new release. The Galaxy S3 is designed to compete with Apple's iPhone and features a 4.8" Super AMOLED (larger than iPhone 3.5") touchscreen 8MP rear facing camera 1.9MP forward facing...

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Pearson acquires GlobalEnglish

2012-05-25T16:44:00.001-04:00

Pearson, one of the world's leading learning resources companies, recently announced that it has acquired GlobalEnglish for $90 million in cash. GlobalEnglish was founded in 1997 in California and provides cloud-based, on-demand business English learning software. The company serves more than 450 corporate customers, which include 20 percent of Forbes' Global 2000 companies. "This transaction is a wonderful endorsement of the value of GlobalEnglish's unique focus on enabling...

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Top tips for preparing a merger or acquisition

2012-05-24T17:44:00.001-04:00

With tight credit and cost pressures driving merger and acquisition activity, according to a recent Canadean report, an expert recently gave tips on M&As that could be helpful to a company that is starting to think about future plans. Brian Mazar, CEO of American Fortune Mergers and Acquisitions, gave his tips on what owners should consider before engaging in a merger or acquisition. “Owners should be aware of the inherent conflict that arises with running a business and preparing...

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Plastic or Paypal?

2012-05-24T14:53:00.000-04:00

If you have been in a Home Depot store in the last few months, you may have noticed a bright blue button flashing at you as you try to complete your transaction. Paypal has partnered with the home improvement giant, and has begun rolling out this new payment option at an amazing rate; already there are over 2,000 stores participating in less than 6 months! It is an interesting situation that has placed Paypal into the realm of in-person, retail payment solutions, one whose future may or may not...

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APICS Reviews "Managing Indirect Spend"

2012-05-24T08:24:00.000-04:00

The Association for Operations Management (APICS) recently posted a review of Managing Indirect Spend: Enhancing Profitability Through Strategic Sourcing, published in 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, and listed the text as a "Common-Sense Advancement" resource. "To run a business you need supplies, insurance, an accounting department, a marketing department, telecommunication services, and a variety of other items not directly related to creating your product or service. Collectively,...

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Survey released on procurement strategies in food and beverage industry

2012-05-23T18:03:00.001-04:00

The "Global Food and Beverage Survey 2012-2013: Market Trends, Buyer Spend and Procurement Strategies in the Global Food and Beverage Industry" report was recently released by Canadean, showing the progress the industry has made over the past year, and providing insight into what the future may hold. The report provides data and analysis on spending outlooks, budgets, supplier selection criteria, business challenges and investment opportunities related to food and beverage...

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Procurement a good choice to lead IC initiatives

2012-05-22T18:43:00.001-04:00

A panel of speakers recently came together for a webinar that was hosted by the Human Capital Institute, highlighting independent contractor engagement and management issues. The panelists agreed that HR, legal and procurement were the best fits to drive the most value from IC management, if they are working together. According to the "Contingent Workforce Management: The Next-Generation Guidebook to Managing the Modern Contingent Workforce Umbrella" study, contingent workforce...

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Webinar" Getting the Most from Strategic Sourcing - TODAY!

2012-05-22T08:39:00.002-04:00

Reminder: Joe Payne and William Dorn of sourcing firm Source One will be presenting: "Getting the Most out of Strategic Sourcing" for Next Level Purchasing's members and guests this morning at 11:30 AM EST. It's not too late to sign up for this free webinar. This presentation will focus primarily on the reasons why you should be tracking your sourcing initiatives beyond the RFP. It will outline the required reporting activities (with examples) and explain how...

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Colleges could cut costs to reduce student debt burden

2012-05-21T19:03:00.001-04:00

Just in time for graduation season, the nation's unemployment rate is decreasing significantly, making it somewhat easier for recent college graduates to start a career in their field of study. In addition to the job market looking better for college graduates this year as opposed to the last few years, recent graduates are also facing a hefty amount of student loan debt, which could cause economic hardship. A recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center revealed that 94 percent of...

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