Procurement of raw materials: Process, strategies & factors to consider

What are the key steps involved in the procurement of raw materials?

The material procurement process consists of seven main process steps. The key steps in the procurement of raw materials include the following:

1.Need analysis

Assessing the need is the first crucial step in procurement where the company takes stock of the raw materials required from different teams and segregates the list depending on the priority of the needs. At this stage, the team handling procurement also determines the best way to procure raw materials in terms of cost saving and logistics.

2.Contract negotiation and approval

Once the list of procurement is decided, the procurement department identifies vendors and requests for quotes. At least three quotes are sourced as a practice, but it depends on the organisation. The vendor with the lowest quotation is selected and post approval of the quote, the raw materials are transported to the manufacturing units.

3.Purchase requisition

Once the list of procurement is decided, the procurement team seeks approval for the purchase. They also cross verify the list with different teams and the raw materials are approved as per their operational priority.

4.Purchase order review

Prior to the final approval of the order, the senior procurement manager does one final review before approval. Once the approval is obtained from the procurement manager, the list is sent to the accounts department.

5.Funds for raw materials are verified

Based on the list, the accounts department issues a purchase order to the vendor and releases the funds. That purchase order is an indication to the vendor that the request has been approved and that they can proceed with the request.

6. Shipping of raw materials

While in selected cases, the vendors arrange for the transportation of raw materials, it does not always happen in the case of all suppliers. In most cases, businesses need to arrange for their own transportation to transfer the raw materials from suppliers to the manufacturing units.

7.Invoice approval and payment

Once the raw materials reach the manufacturing unit, the products are cross verified against the bill and the invoice is approved and the payment is transferred to the suppliers.

Procurement of raw materials can be challenging at times. There are some strategies that can be used to improve your raw material sourcing and help you manage your supply chain. Listed below are raw material procurement strategies that can help you:

Listed below are raw material procurement strategies that can help you:

• Source locally: Raw material purchase from local vendors ensures that you can procure the materials with fewer delays. However, you need to ascertain where your providers are getting their materials, the quality of raw materials and the timelines of delivery.
• Build a list of sources: It is a folly for any business to depend on a single vendor because the dependability on the supplier is high. If there are shortages and challenges at their end, you would find it difficult to source goods on time. Diversity in raw material purchase enables you with options and you can bring in raw materials you need even when you face challenges with a particular vendor.
• Increase inventory: If you face regular shortages in raw materials, it is wise to increase your own available inventory. You need to understand inventory turnover ratio, and if the need be invest in additional warehousing options. It will resolve your supply chain woes in the long run and to keep your customers happy. In this respect, consider using external warehouse logistics services to store inventory cost-effectively.
• Connect with a distributor: Another factor that can help you to resolve raw material supply chain challenges is to identify a distributor. Distributors have additional resources and can provide you with the most cost-effective solution to your current supply chain needs.

How is procurement of raw materials managed in different industries?

Procurement in manufacturing industry is crucial. Here are a few examples of how each manufacturing sector handles it.

Procurement of raw materials examples:

• The procurement of raw materials in iron and steel industry calls for understanding of global trends and collecting relevant data about the raw materials used and their suppliers. Change in policies and environmental regulations also have direct effects on the availability and prices of raw materials. Taking these factors into consideration, firms belonging to the iron and steel industry need to adopt a strategy that calls for a smooth supply chain management for raw material procurement without incurring large costs or losing competitive advantage.
• Procurement of raw materials in food industry is fraught with challenges like shortage, quality, lack of continuous supply of seasonal goods, inadequately trained labour force, rising packing expenses, infrastructure deficiencies such as shortage of cold chains. At the same time the food industry needs to effectively handle freshness, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility aspects too. This calls for adopting sustainable procurement solutions to avoid disruptions.

To sum up: How to adopt a quality management system for raw materials?

Procurement of materials is the backbone to any manufacturing business. It is essential to create a framework that ensures timely delivery and efficient supply chain management in the procurement process. Demand aggregation for procurement can prove to be highly beneficial for large businesses and supply chains that not just help in cost savings, improved logistics and better timelines, but also aid in improving the efficiency of organisations.