Purchasing

Lockheed Martin: Negotiators Inc.
Four years ago Lockheed Martin decided that it was time to make some major changes to its largely decentralized organization. The $26.6 billion defense contractor had grown and changed through a series of acquisitions and divestitures and the five individual business units were functioning as, well, individual business units.

• Dashboard leads global procurement to success
• Forget dog & pony shows
• Codelco legitimizes Shanghai's copper exchange
• Cathode juggernaut pressures brass and wire mill products
• Sourcing steel ain't easy!
• Shippers get better visibility but still want better service
• Prepare for big changes

CPI Edition Bulk Rail Shippers get better visibility but still want better service Chemforecast Surging natural gas rates will stem price erosion Chemical Business Survey Biz activity data bucks trend Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonates Overcapacity and waning demand keep tags in check Departments Buylines Rapid rally strains supply, but troubles are likely to be short lived The new delivery terms Purchasing execs want breadth and depth Version *.* Steel mills bombard buyers with cost-driven surcharges Will suppliers seek e-auction revenge? Strike! Kudos Who's news Consolidation Ariba boosts services with FreeMarkets and Alliente buys E-Brief Omnexus goes under Global Procurement Conference Become world class in Supply Management Inside Purchasing The Wal-Mart effect IT Procurement The trick to good PC buying: Consider total lifecycle cost Leadtimes Leadtime report Logistics What's Hot Shippers get strategic in comparing performance Briefs MRO Purchasing teams up with suppliers for savings ideas What's Hot Product Update Mature industry continues to roll out tech advances Check out value-added services from OEMs Professional Profile Professional Profile: John R. Maclean, Vice President, Corporate Purchasing, AMR Corp.

Metals What's Hot Copper and Brass Cathode juggernaut pressures brass and wire mill products Codelco legitimizes Shanghai's copper exchange Metals Price Outlook Nonferrous products look tight and costly in 2004 Understanding Markets Sourcing steel ain't easy! News Economy How supply managers see business Prices Factors affecting product cost Supply What's happening in markets Tip Sheet Key metrics and supply alert