Purchasing articles from March 2003

Purchasing archives from March 2003

Forward demand indicator, 90-day. (Tip Sheet).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Economists are cutting their 2003 forecasts on fears of war, terrorism and oil price shocks. But strength in PURCHASING'S Forward Demand Index suggests they may be underestimating the upside potential of extremely low business inventories. ...

Purchasing's Forward Demand Index surged to 65.6 in February. (Tip Sheet).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... PURCHASING'S Forward Demand Index surged to 65.6 in February as more than half (52%) of buyers reported plans to increase their materials buying volumes in the coming 90 days. The increase reflects a combination of stronger new order rates for...

Check out global effort to standardize Internet buying protocols. (Tip Sheet).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Check out global effort to standardize Internet buying protocols. An Electronic Procurement Standardization Technical Committee is being organized under the auspices of the Global Procurement Standards Organization and OASIS, the Organization...

The 2002 market gloom for supply chain management software SCM will carry over into 2003. (Tip Sheet).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... The 2002 market gloom for supply chain management software SCM will carry over into 2003, driving more consolidation among vendors. That's the outlook presented by the analysts at Forrester Research Inc. So, to woo process-minded users, the...

Global personal computer shipments are forecast to attain 8.3% growth in 2003. (Tip Sheet).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Global personal computer shipments are forecast to attain 8.3% growth in 2003, after rising just 1% in 2002 to 136.2 million units in the second year of weak demand. Market researchers at DC expect purchasing improvements from the business and...

Semiconductor industry participants are predicting world sales growth of about 20% in 2003. (Tip Sheet).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Semiconductor industry participants are predicting world sales growth of about 20% in 2003. "Weak end markets continue to depress the semiconductor industry, leaving scant opportunities for growth" in 2003, says analyst Richard Gordon at...

Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina sees long-term sales growth for the company of 7-9%/year. (Tip Sheet).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina sees long-term sales growth for the company of 7-9%/year, saying the computer hardware sector never again will see past growth rates of 20, 30 or 40%. The pressure on prices is "relentless", she says, adding...

Price expectations, 90-days. (Prices).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Price expectations, 90-days COMMODITY DIFFUSION CATEGORY PERIOD UP DOWN SAME INDEX Energy Feb 63% 10% 27% 76.3 Plastic resins Feb...

Energy buyers can expect office and factory heating bills 50% higher. (Prices).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Energy buyers can expect office and factory heating bills 50% higher this year than last winter. Prices for heating oil are likely to keep rising due to a colder than expected winter and the reduction of Venezuela's oil production. Wholesale...

Already at the highest level in 20 months, retail gasoline prices are near $2/gallon. (Prices).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Already at the highest level in 20 months, retail gasoline prices are near $2/gallon. Analyst Jay Saunders at Deutsche Bank says Americans are flying less and driving more, so inventories are down. He sees gasoline use rising 3% in 2003--just...

Buyers of high-temperature alloys and stainless steels are coming under price pressure. (Prices).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Buyers of high-temperature alloys and stainless steels are coming under price pressure from suppliers trying to recoup rising costs of key raw materials. Several specialty metals firms want surcharges to offset recent high costs of nickel,...

Watch for higher steel prices soon: scrap and energy prices are rising. (Prices).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Watch for higher steel prices soon: scrap and energy prices are rising. Analyst Aldo Mazzaferro at Goldman Sachs says, "Steel pricing should begin to rise in the second quarter for sheet and such other products as bars, rod, small beams and...

Suppliers reckon prices of copper and brass strip mill products will increase 8-10% this year. (Prices).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Suppliers reckon prices of copper and brass strip mill products will increase 8-10% this year, if buyers improve purchases after sitting on their hands for two years. Analysts see no market pickup and far less inflation. Franco DiMartino at...

Paper buyers may see a $60/ton increase as soon as April. (Prices).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Paper buyers may see a $60/ton increase as soon as April on coated groundwood No. 5 grades, both offset and roto, in all basis weights and finishes. Pulp and Paper Products Council says stocks have been declining steadily in the face of modest...

Uranium buyers can expect to see this cyclical commodity keep rising from current spot price of $10.20/lb. (Prices).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Uranium buyers can expect to see this cyclical commodity keep rising from current spot price of $10.20/lb because of anticipated demand growth and supply tightness. Use has risen while supply has dwindled, says analyst Joe Card at Ux Consulting...

Tracking the economy. (Economy).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Tracking the economy Latest Previous Year Indicator Period period period ago Industrial production ('97=100) Jan 111.1 110.3 109.0...

Led by polymers, packaging and metals, PURCHASING'S Leadtime Index (1992=100) continued to track strongly upward last month. (Economy).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Led by polymers, packaging and metals, PURCHASING'S Leadtime Index (1992=100) continued to track strongly upward last month. The index surged 10 points between January and February and has risen 16% on average over the past twelve months....

The consensus forecast for real GDP growth in 2003 fell last month from 2.8% to 2.7%. (Economy).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... The consensus forecast for real GDP growth in 2003 fell last month from 2.8% to 2.7% as many economists revised forecasts downward on "increased fears about the inevitability of a U.S./Iraq conflict and its attendant risks to the outlook,"...

While many economists were revising down their 2003 forecasts in the last month or so, leading economic indicators were continuing to track upward. (Economy).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... While many economists were revising down their 2003 forecasts in the last month or so, leading economic indicators were continuing to track upward. The Conference Board's U.S. Leading Index (a composite of 10 indicators) gained 0.1%, marking a...

The economy has the potential to expand more rapidly than expected if political uncertainties dissipate quickly, hinted Fed chairman Alan Greenspan. (Economy).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... The economy has the potential to expand more rapidly than expected if political uncertainties dissipate quickly, hinted Fed chairman Alan Greenspan in his latest monetary report to Congress. Key quote: "If these uncertainties diminish...

Oil may be the biggest threat to the U.S. economy at this time, according to Merrill Lynch. (Economy).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Oil may be the biggest threat to the U.S. economy at this time, according to Merrill Lynch U.S. chief strategist Richard Bernstein. "It seems pretty clear to us that we are experiencing another old-fashioned oil shock," Bernstein says. The...

Forward demand, 30-days. (Supply).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Forward demand, 30-days COMMODITY DIFFUSION CATEGORY PERIOD UP DOWN SAME INDEX Energy Feb 29% 12% 59% 58.4 Steel Feb ...

A rebound in the slumping global economy is key to demand for aluminum. (Supply).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... A rebound in the slumping global economy is key to demand for aluminum, which remains plentiful worldwide. "Because aluminum is used in so many applications and touches virtually every element of the economy," says Travis Engen, chief executive...

There is plenty of agricultural equipment for sale since demand continues to be "stubbornly weak,". (Supply).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... There is plenty of agricultural equipment for sale since demand continues to be "stubbornly weak," says Robert W. Lane, chief executive officer of Deere & Co. He predicts overall equipment sales will rise only 7-9% for the year, and frets the...

Capital equipment buyers at mining giant BHP Billiton of Australia have agreed to source $1.5 billion. (Supply).(BHP Billiton of Australia)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Capital equipment buyers at mining giant BHP Billiton of Australia have agreed to source $1.5 billion in mining equipment and support from heavy machinery maker Caterpillar Inc. of the U.S. as part of a five-year global supply alliance. BHP...

Demand conditions in the paper-based packaging market remain challenging for suppliers. (Supply).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Demand conditions in the paper-based packaging market remain challenging for suppliers, says an analysis by Standard & Poor's, which sees "muted prospects" for a meaningful rebound in purchasing. Upshot: Only slightly higher paperboard...

Watch for new developments in optical storage devices for data applications from Royal Philips Electronics. (Supply).(BenQ Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Watch for new developments in optical storage devices for data applications from Royal Philips Electronics and its new-product development joint venture with BenQ Corp. of Taiwan. Reason: European-based global electronics conglomerate sees no...

Automotive parts suppliers on both sides of the Atlantic are preparing for reduced buys from automakers. (Supply).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Automotive parts suppliers on both sides of the Atlantic are preparing for reduced buys from automakers. French automaker Peugeot says the European automobile market will either be flat at 14.4 million vehicles or contract 2% in 2003,...

Energy fuels commodity increases. (Transaction Prices).(unfinished materials)
March 6, 2003... The transaction price index for unfinished materials increased dramatically in January because of a 13.4% rise in energy costs. PURCHASING magazine's Industrial Supplies Price Index (ISPI, 1992 = 100) rose to 134.7 in February from a revised...

Hot spots.(lumber prices)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Expect little inflation in lumber prices this year. Global Insights is forecasting a 4% decline in prices in 2003; Resource Information Systems Inc. predicts prices 5% lower than 2002. "Lumber prices fell significantly last year despite a 3%...

Global Procurement Conference April 16-17, 2003.
March 6, 2003... Global Procurement Conference Sessions Wednesday, April 16, 2003 Keynote: Hot Supply Chain Management Ideas for the New Economy Session 1: Profit-boosting Strategies 11:00AM EST Hosts: Doug Smock, Editor-in-Chief; Top CPOs on...

What's hot.(London Metal Exchange (LME) average cash price for December)(copper)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... The London Metal Exchange (LME) average cash price for December 2002 was $1,595.70/metric ton (72.5 Cents/lb) compared to $1,472/metric ton (66.75 Cents/lb) in December 2001. The 8.6% price rise occurred because production fell, demand rose and...

Metals. (Copper and Brass).
March 6, 2003... Buyers are purchasing cautiously again in 2003 The copper market has been stuck in a slow-growth metalworking economy since early winter 2000. With end-use activity stalled, copper buyers still don't see much need to expand purchasing in...

Waiting for industry, construction to rally: Market is trapped in a double-digit purchasing slowdown that suppliers don't want to talk about. (Steel Pipe and Tube).
March 6, 2003... The past two years haven't been kind to the industrial and energy markets supplied by producers of steel pipe and tube. Suppliers have witnessed a 13% decline in purchased tonnage and a 12% drop in transaction prices. Looking ahead to 2003, the...

Memo to the international trade commission. (Inside Purchasing).(steel tariffs)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... As you begin your mid-term review of me Section 201 steel tariffs this month, please take a look at the leadtimes analysis by Anne Millen Porter that begins on page 34 in this issue. Hot-rolled steel sheet is one of those products in which...

Buyers' group says 201 tariffs cost 200K metalworking jobs. (Steel Trade Wars).(steel imports)
March 6, 2003... Steel users are increasing the pressure on President Bush to eliminate tariffs on steel imports, charging that higher steel prices have wiped out as many as 200,000 U.S. jobs in the past year. A study released by the Consuming Industries Trade...

Producers combat slow growth with stylized gear. (Safety Products).(equipment manufacturers and distributors)
March 6, 2003... It would be difficult to find many safety equipment manufacturers and distributors who had a banner year in 2002. "For the most part, 2002 was a continuation of 2001, which was a down year for safety equipment distributors in general," reports...

Mood brightens among manufacturing buyers. (Grassroots Report).
March 6, 2003... Factories began operating at a faster pace in February, as the manufacturing sector resumed growth. "Business is picking up," says the material controls manager at a packaging machinery manufacturer. "We are now expecting a great year!" Orders...

Ashland buying group offers e-procurement to customers. (Sourcing Technology).
March 6, 2003... As a value-added service, Ashland now offers its customers and others use of an e-procurement system for indirect materials purchasing. Through sourceXplorer, (sourcexplorer.com) a wholly owned business of Ashland Inc., the company's...

NAPP considers certification for e-purchasing pros. (Purchasing Conference).(National Association of Procurement and Payables)
March 6, 2003... At the annual conference of the National Association of Procurement and Payables, officers of the organization highlighted recent changes in the group's strategic direction: * A new name. Stressing the need for procurement and accounts...

Distributors, CMs find a place in the supply chain. (Sourcing Strategies).
March 6, 2003... New market strategies that make significant use of the supply chain are themselves shaping the supply strategies use to compete. Case in point: The build-to-order market strategies used by the likes of Cisco Systems and Dell Computer are...

Karrass Negotiating Seminars.
March 6, 2003... "In business, you don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate." Now, more than ever, successful people turn to Karrass. More and more people are attending the KARRASS EFFECTIVE NEGOTIATING[R] seminar each year because they...

When you get what you bargained for--but don't. (Murray's Law).
March 6, 2003... In a contract for the sale of goods, a buyer always receives an express warranty that the goods will conform to the contract description of the goods. The goods may be described in various ways. The physical size, the performance...

New buying tools present different ethical challenges. (Procurement Ethics).
March 6, 2003... Let's face it. Purchasing professionals are routinely held to higher standards of ethical conduct than people in many other professions. In most organizations, for example, according to James T. Phillips, procurement supervisor for the Utah...

Buyers get back to basics: why maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) buyers use the suppliers they do. (MRO Report).
March 6, 2003... It's time for buyers to get back to purchasing basics. Recent trends in MRO buying center around new tools developed to dean up inefficient processes and reduce costs of purchasing. Over the past few years, MRO buyers have been busy...

Unlocking leadtimes: A primer on supply strategists' most versatile indicators. (Forecast Basics).
March 6, 2003... An article published in the April 16, 1981 issue of PURCHASING magazine billed leadtimes as "jack-of-all-trades" market indicators. And, while much has changed in the economy since 1981, leadtimes remain some of the most versatile indicators...

What's hot.(American Trucking Associations)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... While we talk a lot about logistics and supply chain movements these days, when you get right down to it, were still talking mostly about trucks. The trucking industry, is still moving the majority of goods in the U.S.--five times more than...

Logistics.(Consolidated Freightways)
March 6, 2003... LTL Market Life after CF equals higher rates, less competition for shippers The less-than-truckload (LTL) market took a drastic turn in late 2002 after the third largest LTL provider, Consolidated Freight-ways (CF), declared bankruptcy...

Rail operator CSX Corp. (Briefs).(appointment)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Rail operator CSX Corp. recently named long-time executive Michael Ward as chairman and CEO, replacing John Snow, who was designated as U.S. Treasury secretary. CSX, the biggest rail operator in the eastern United States, said the company has...

Air freight companies. (Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Air freight companies are saying they expect air express volumes in early 2003 to be down. Echoing comments from others in the industry, Airborne forecast a decline in air express volumes for 2003 and said it will seek higher-revenue shipments...

DHL Worldwide Express. (Briefs).(completed its purchase of Mayne Logistics Loomis)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... DHL Worldwide Express completed its purchase of Mayne Logistics Loomis, to become the third largest express transportation provider in Canada. The acquisition is in step with DHL's plans for expansion of its North American presence. Eric de...

Freight carriers are pushing the security-specific services of late. (Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... Freight carriers are pushing the security-specific services of late. LTL giant Roadway Express recently introduced the Roadway Sealed Divider service, which offers dedicated shipment protection via two tamper-proof rod locks which secure a...

Adhesives, sealants and coatings: Master Bond Inc. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.masterbond.com Master Bond Inc. manufacturers over 3,000 grades of adhesives, sealants, coatings, potting compounds and impregnation resins. Products include epoxies, anaerobics, cyano-acrylates, silicones and acrylics. One and two...

Aluminum: Yarde Metals. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.yarde.com Multi-metal distributors, featuring complete processing of sheet and plate, bar, tubes, angles and extruded products. Visit our website for a complete listing of our stocked inventory.

Building maintenance: FBG Service Corporation. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.fbgservice.com Are your profits being swept under the carpet? How much does it cost you to invoice multiple vendors? Let FBGs comprehensive facility management make your life simpler. Start saving money and time as soon as you switch I...

Compact controller: Omega Engineering, Inc. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.omega.com One Omega Drive, Stamford, CT 06907 Phone: 800-826-6342 Fax: 302-359-7700 info@omega.com The OMEGA[R] iSeries, a family of microprocessor-based instruments offered in two true DIN sizes with NEMA-4, IP65...

Contract metal fabrication: Magni-Fab Southwest Company. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.magni-fabsouthwestcompany.com Magni-Fab Southwest Co. is a contract metal fabricator and stamper. Processing steel, aluminum, and stainless steel through 1/2 inch thick. Offering CNC punching, forming, stamping to 250 tons, laser...

Die casting: Diecasting Development Council. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.diecasting.org/ddc The Diecasting Development Council's searchable database of custom die casters details alloys cast, part size and weight ranges. The site also lists die casting industry suppliers and consultants, covering everything...

Filters: The filter store plus. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.filterstore.com Single source supplier for all your filtration needs. We can supply, or cross, most major manufacturers of filters. We carry air intake, compressed air & gas, hydraulic, liquid, and all types of filter housings....

Electronic components sourcing: netCOMPONENTS. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.netcomponents.com netCOMPONENTS, launched in 1997, is the worlds largest destination for sourcing and procurement of electronic components in a direct, disclosed (non-anonymous), and vendor-neutral environment. netCOMPONENTS offers...

Freight cost containment: Spectrum Transportation Consultants, Inc. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.spectrumtrans.com Learn how our group purchasing power will reduce your freight costs while targeting areas for improving your supply chain. Our no-cost analysis will benchmark your current practices and demonstrate your savings...

Hinges: Stocker Hinge Manufacturing Company, Inc. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.stocker.com info@stocker.com Stocker Hinge has been North America's leading designer and manufacturer of continuous, butt and specialty hinges for OEM's and Distributors since 1937. QS-9000 / ISO 9001 certified quality, extensive...

Industrial Fasteners: Earnest Machine Products. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.earnestmachine.com 800-EARNEST (327-6378) FAX: 216/362-9970 Earnest Machine is a wholesale distributor of over 35,000 industrial fasteners serving distributors and original equipment manufacturers. We operate eight locations...

Magnetic hand tools and conveyors: Magni-Power Company / Magnetic Division. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.magnipower.com Order on-line over 130 magnetic hand tools, separators, sweepers, and other magnetic products. In business since 1948 helping manufacturers with their magnetic and conveyor needs. Accept Visa / Master Card. See our web...

Metal fabrications and assemblies: Magni-Power Company. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.magnipower.com E-mail: info@magnipower.com Magni-Power company is a full service metal fabricator. Processing steel, aluminum, and stainless steel through 3/8 inch thick. Offering CNC punching, stamping, forming, laser cutting,...

Metal stampings, fabrications, enclosures: Triton Industries, Inc. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.tritonindustries.com ISO-QS-9000 Certified--Automated prog. Die stampings, laser-cut prototypes, fabricated custom enclosures. Low--medium & high volumes. Aluminum stamped heat sinks. Stainless steel, steel, aluminum enclosure, and...

OEM products: GLOBEX Product Sourcing. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.gbx.com E-Mail: info@gbx.com Phone: 1-888-445-6239 GLOBEX provides custom-manufactured, made-to-specification parts for OEM/ODM clients. All services are provided... from product design, on-site quality control and code...

Plastics vacuum forming: Plasto-Tech Corporation. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.plasto-tech.com Plasto-Tech Corporation specializes in vacuum forming plastics for returnable trays, dunnage, and plastic skids. Equipment to form 120 inches by 80 inches by 24 inches deep. CNC routing, die cutting, secondary...

Printing: BEST! Corporate Stationery, Inc. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.bestblueribbon.com E-mail: more.info@bestblueribbon.com 1-800-815-6695 The Business Stationery Program * The First: On-line ordering since 1983 (established 1954) * The Finest: Secure Sites, P-Cards, Ariba, Online...

Recruiting/professional placement: Tonia Deal Consultants, Inc. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.toniadealconsultants.com TDC, Inc. specializes in technical and executive placement, focusing in Supply Chain Management. We are a 100% female owned small business with an outstanding reputation for providing top talent, including...

Sodium bicarbonate: Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.ahperformance.com Church & Dwight is the manufacturer of ARM & HAMMER[R] brand sodium bicarbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, and potassium bicarbonate and a worldwide leader in the development of innovative bicarbonate applications. The...

Stainless steel fittings & stainless steel machining: QMC Technologies, Inc. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.qmctechnologies.com E-mail: rapidquote@qmctechnologies.com 4142 Broadway, Depew, NY 14043 (Since 1976) 1-800-569-0810 FAX: (716) 681-0881 QMC manufactures custom OEM Stainless Steel fittings and components to your...

Stainless steel threaded fittings: buyfittingsonline.com. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.buyfittingsonline.com E-mail: rapidquote@buyfittingsonline.com 1-800-569-0810 FAX: (716) 681-0881 Visit our fully enabled E-commerce site for the easiest way to buy premium quality Stainless NPT fittings. Over 480 items!...

Tolling: Tolling Services, LLC. (Key Supplier Web-Site Locator).(Brief Article)
March 6, 2003... www.tolling.com Excess manufacturing capacity. Tolling Services provides the only E-Commerce platform that enables profitable manufacturers and their customers to confidentially form private joint ventures combining manufacturers use of...

Leadtimes point to growth. (Leadtimes).(Illustration)
March 6, 2003... For the 12-month period ending February 2003, PURCHASING'S Leadtime Index (1992=100) averaged 16% higher than a year ago. Between January and February, the index gained 10 points, indicating that growth in demand for industrial supplies...

Electronics Business Indicator. (Purchasing Magazine).(Brief Article)(Illustration)
March 20, 2003... Reports on the economy have been all gloom and doom, but PURCHASING'S indicators show modest, steady improvement. In February, the percentage of electronics buyers reporting better business beat the percentage reporting worse by a margin of 14...

Look for better pricing soon on products imported from Europe. (Tip Sheet).(Brief Article)
March 20, 2003... Look for better pricing soon on products imported from Europe. Currency traders bid up the euro's value by about 10% as a hedge against economic risks of a war in Iraq. Relative values of the currencies will return to basic economic values,...

Now is the right time to explore logistics outsourcing. (Tip Sheet).
March 20, 2003... Now is the right time to explore logistics outsourcing. Major third-party logistics providers boomed until last year--and are now hungry for business, reports associate editor David Hannon in a special report that begins on page 24S1. Key...

Watch where you push in the cash management realm, cautions Gene Richter, member of PURCHASING'S Editorial Advisory Board. (Tip Sheet).
March 20, 2003... Watch where you push in the cash management realm, cautions Gene Richter, member of PURCHASING'S Editorial Advisory Board and three-time winner of PURCHASING'S Medal of Professional Excellence. "To me, cash management is a euphemism for taking...

Current views on best purchasing practices will be aired on the Internet April 16-17 at the Global Procurement Conference (GPC). (Tip Sheet).
March 20, 2003... Current views on best purchasing practices will be aired on the Internet April 16-17 at the Global Procurement Conference (GPC). Hear from Richter, Rudzki and several other Editorial Advisory Board members on their current strategies on...

Wanted: A few, good MRO buyers for PURCHASING'S All-Star Team! (Tip Sheet).
March 20, 2003... Wanted: A few, good MRO buyers for PURCHASING'S All-Star Team! If you or one of your peers has demonstrated excellence in managing relationships with MRO suppliers, we want to hear from you. In a feature story in the Sept. 4 issue, PURCHASING...

Expect worldwide semiconductor prices to remain weak for some months. (Prices).(Brief Article)
March 20, 2003... Expect worldwide semiconductor prices to remain weak for some months since the purchasing bounce back has lost momentum. However, pricing may firm as 2003 progresses. Semico Research analyst Rich Wawrzyniak says that "with memory demand...

Price uncertainty is hindering development of long-term supply contracts for flat-panel displays. (Prices).(Brief Article)
March 20, 2003... Price uncertainty is hindering development of long-term supply contracts for flat-panel displays. Producers are unable to provide pricing guarantees beyond 60 days due to their concerns about end-market demand. "So, our biggest concerns are...

Cobalt prices could almost double in 2004 from their current mid-$7 range. (Prices).(Brief Article)
March 20, 2003... Cobalt prices could almost double in 2004 from their current mid-$7 range because of a projected demand surge from makers of superalloy metals. Several new aircraft engines moving from drawing board to production-the Eurojet EJ 2000, the Trent...