Purchasing - August 13, 2009

Armed with data on spending, travel buyers can help senior managers keep key employees traveling and the company competitive.While senior managers may intuitively understand that travel is critical to their company's success, it's still one of the first budget items they cut when times get tough. But that doesn't have to be the case. Travel buyers have access to spend data and other tools that can help senior managers take a more strategic view of travel that will help keep employees on the road even during an econom...

• Electronics Edition
• Semiconductor equipment market to drop 52% in 2009
• LCD panel shipments rise 41.4% in second quarter
• Use your purchasing clout to get better customer service
• Business Intelligence
• Connector demand expected to recover after 2009 slump
• Philips and LG Display are subjects in price-fixing probe
• Electronics Briefs
• High-brightness LED market will fall about 3% in 2009
• Electronics Distribution
• WPG Holdings looks to grow its North American business
• Outsourcing
• Flextronics expands in Taiwan

• Features
• Prices to rise, but not to 2008 levels
• Meet these travel-buying professionals
• NBTA meets in San Diego
• How to source travel for 2010
• Buyers' market could end next year
• Chemicals
• PPG tests the outsourcing waters

• Metals
• Magnesium, in abundant supply, looks for new applications
• Business Intelligence
• Norwegian exec joins others forecasting world demand increase

• News and Departments
• Chemicals
• ABS buyers prepare for price increases after demand bottoms
• Even as PVC demand falters prices are on the upswing
• Business Intelligence
• Economy + Supply
• Nand Output may Rise
• Transportation buying rise may signal an improving economy (Buyers' 30-day buying plans)
• Hotel Rooms may get Scarce
• Rubber may get Squeezed
• Dram Supply Tightening
• Analytic Software is Hot
• Freight Demand Ticks Up
• Truckers Scale Way Back
• Business Travel Takes Off
• Housing Picks Up...Finally
• Metals Buyers Come Alive
• Logistics
• Logistics providers stretch out around the globe
• Business Intelligence
• Ocean freight market heads into choppy waters
• MRO + Distribution
• MRO Briefs
• Business Intelligence
• MRO buyers take steps to control inventory and help free up cash
• My Turn
• Cutting the supply base isn't always such a good idea
• Prices
• Airfares Nosedive
• Electricity Costs Fizzle
• Moly Prices to Double
• Resin Prices Could Rise
• Soda Ash Prices Tick Down
• Rail Rates Dipping
• Buyers say higher raw materials prices are starting to hold (National, recent price trend)
• Caustic Soda Prices Down
• Lumber Prices Build Up
• Nickel Rises on Strike
• Scale Up: Big Ideas in the Middle Market
• Supplier partnerships pay off for midmarket coffee equipment maker
• Trends
• Conference Board's Leading Economic Index continues up
• Economic trends put more emphasis on supplier management
• Producer prices make bigger than expected jump in June
• P-Card program's success requires careful planning
• Suppliers are continuing source of innovation for P&G
• Wind energy manufacturing boom taking shape in the U.S.
• Tips to establishing an IPO
• Business Intelligence