Coming Stories (An online version of the editorial calendar)

-- Purchasing, 1/17/2008

GET INVOLVED

The editors of Purchasing are continually seeking the input of members of the procurement and supply chain industry. If you are an industry participant or a procurement expert, we want to hear from you!

CLICK HERE TO READ OUR 2008 EDITORIAL CALENDAR

If you have an idea for a story, contact chief editor Paul Teague.

Here’s a list of the stories Purchasing editors are currently working on:

FEATURES:

Special Report: The Energy Buy

This report will review what’s happening to prices and supply of all energy products and provide examples of how purchasing can mitigate the impact of a new and high plateau in energy costs.

Contact: Tom Stundza

Lean best practices

Purchasing will look into the Supplier Excellence Alliance, an organization that promotes best practices in Lean manufacturing for the aerospace and defense industry and helps suppliers implement consistent Lean practices. The report will include interviews with purchasing executives at several aerospace firms, aerospace suppliers and Lean experts.

Contact: Susan Avery

Trucking report: 2008

Do volatile markets equal volatile relationships? This will be a detailed report on the state of the shipper-carrier relationship. As trucking demand and pricing rises and falls, how do LTL and truckload carriers and freight buyers make sure they’re continuing to develop the all-important long-term partnerships? Report will include interviews with major carriers and logistics buyers.

Contact: Dave Hannon

How to follow through on cost savings

A look at how purchasing organizations work to ensure they realize the savings they’ve worked to achieve. More details to come.

Contact: Paul Teague

METALS

New metals products. A review of the latest products and technologies coming out of the mills in 2008.

Contact: Tom Stundza

Pipe & Tube Report. This report will provide an update on pricing, demand and supply for products in the oil country tubular goods market.

Contact: Tom Stundza 

ELECTRONICS

How a telecom OEM buys

It’s not easy being a buyer at a telecommunications OEM. In this story, Purchasing will check in with buyers at telecom firms, who must develop relationships with suppliers of new technologies that will enhance the value of telecom equipment, as well as develop strategies to source parts based on more mature or even soon-to-be-obsolete technologies.

Contact: James Carbone

How to forecast electronic component prices

It is often said that forecasts longer than 30 days are useless. That is often the case with electronic component price forecasts because market conditions can change so quickly. To improve forecasts buyers need to take a close look at overall economic conditions, capital spending plans by component manufactures and demand for end equipment.

Contact: James Carbone

How OEMS use electronics distributors

Distributor total available market—or the percentage of electronic components that are sold through distribution— is growing. One reason is that OEMs are using distributors more than in the past. OEMs are taking advantage of distributors’ broad and diverse line cards, design expertise and supply chain management services to reduce total cost.

Contact: James Carbone

Analog ICs. This story will be a review of supply and demand for analog ICs, as well as the expected price trend as cost savings from manufacturing efficiencies by chipmakers are passed on.

Contact: James Carbone

Connectors. Demand for connectors will be strong through the year, but prices should drop 2-3% because of Asian competition.

Contact: James Carbone

LOGISTICS

RFID: is it a fun new toy or a long-term supply chain solution? The April logistics section will tap buyers, technology providers and experts to discuss the current state and long-term expectations for RFID in the supply chain.

OFFICE

A report on product and software updates for office from the AIIM Expo in Boston. Section will cover workflow and print management software as well as the latest in multi-function product technology from the major office technology suppliers.

Contact: Maria Varmazis

MRO

A best practices case study on a company’s MRO buying.

Contact: Susan Avery

CHEMICALS

Buying chemicals online. A look at the latest tools and strategies for buying commodity and specialty chemicals online. Story will include interviews with market experts, technology providers and chemical buyers.

Contact: Dave Hannon

Polyethylene outlook. An in-depth analyst of the current state of supply, demand and pricing for the PE market.

Contact: Dave Hannon

CORPORATE TRAVEL

A detailed look at how the procurement organization at Hewlett-Packard manages its corporate meetings buy.

Contact: Susan Avery

SCALE UP

A case study on the buying strategies of a midmarket company.

Contact: Dave Hannon

Suggest a scenario for our Blackbelt Negotiators section.
Contact: Paul Teague

Nominate a company for a How They Buy Case Study
Contact: Dave Hannon

Nominate a company for a ScaleUp story.
Contact: Dave Hannon

RANT

Reader's Rant on Purchasing.com designed for you, the purchasing community, to tell us how you feel about issues covered in the magazine. Feel free to rant and/or rave about Purchasing’s feature stories including any comments on the new look of the print issue. Click here to comment about PURCHASING's feature stories.