Purchasing

Online buying gathers steam, one buyer at a time
The e-sourcing trend continues to chug along, gathering steam one buyer at a time, according to PURCHASING magazine's recent Benchmark Survey on E-sourcing Strategy. The percent of survey respondents using various e-sourcing tools grew nearly across the board while follow-up interviews with respondents showed a desire to continue expansion of current projects while exploring new technologies.

• Toro takes supplier management approach to reducing costs
• Record feedstock costs make resins and pigments pricier
• Seeking Balance
• Pumping up plant profitability
• Expanded service roster adds luster to distribution

CPI Edition Chemforecast Expect prices to stay inflated;capacity is close to demand Chemicals United Airlines finds route to savings by decentralization Hot Ideas in Chemicals Expanded service roster adds luster to distribution Paints and Coatings Record feedstock costs make resins and pigments pricier Departments Buylines Higher interest rates drive increased interest in leasing Buyers give mixed reviews on the state of economic growth Version *.* Measuring indirect spend via KPIs Small mistakes can be costly when it comes to contracting Who's got strategic sourcing on the brain? Who's News Ford opens Chicago supplier park Visteon's plan: Buy better with a smaller supplier base Kudos Briefs Will "soft patch" derail GDP growth? Global Procurement Conference Achieving Greatness: Buy Like the Best-in-Class Inside Purchasing Purchasing names new Editor-in-Chief Logistics Tracking total logistics value from the inside out Briefs What's Hot MRO Sonoco MRO team unearths savings from screen cylinders What's Hot Professional Profile Professional Profile: Robert K. Harlan, Director of Corporate E-procurement, Motorola Inc. Readers Sound Off Putting a price tag on an international procurement office (IPO)

Metals Metals Chips What's Hot Aluminum Foreign trade deficit may set record in 2004 China Copper Macquarie Bank: Imports likely to stay subdued Copper Domestic use in most markets dropped in 2003 Exclusive Business Data Metalworking isn't so robust Metals Outlook 2005 Seeking Balance Metals Trade Ivan's impact was more annoyance than catastrophe Steel Crude production may top 1.1 billion metric tons by '08 Severstal North America ramps up specialty products Steel Trade Wars Steel imports expanding again; WTO rejects Byrd Amendment 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