Competitive industry requires vigilant procurement
In a cost-competitive industry, procurement is a critical task to ensure raw materials are purchased at prices that allow Sampson to compete with other manufacturers, locally and overseas.
This involves canvassing existing suppliers for their updated raw material prices and looking for new sources of supply.
Isaac Watson, the procurement manager manages this work alongside wearing other ‘hats’ like forecasting demand usage and co-ordinating the export business.
Complex and tedious procurement processes
By his own admission, Isaac was managing these tasks "in a primitive way" with manual processes that were both complex and time-consuming. This involved sending "copious amounts of emails" to suppliers for quotes, availability checks, and order management - and logging responses in a spreadsheet.
This traditional approach created several challenges:
- Time-intensive manual communication with multiple suppliers
- Difficulty tracking market trends and competitive pricing
- Limited visibility into new supplier options
The manual approach meant significant time spent on administrative tasks rather than strategic procurement decisions. Without centralized information and automated processes, the team struggled to maintain oversight of their supply chain and market positioning.
ChemCloud's AI-Powered Procurement Platform
ChemCloud presented multiple ways to automate and enhance the procurement process.
Centralised information and automation
Sampson consolidated their procurement processes into a single platform where "all information is there and available," eliminating the need for scattered communications and manual tracking.
New supplier discovery
ChemCloud's supplier network helped Sampson discover new sourcing options they hadn't previously considered, expanding their procurement flexibility.
Market intelligence and competitive pricing
The consolidated pricing history provided valuable market intelligence, allowing Sampson to "look at market trends and price consistently," then use this data strategically to make purchasing decisions.
It's saving me an abundance of time, because I'm not having to send copious amounts of emails. Finding new suppliers has been a big help, and the market intel lets me look at market trends and prices consistently - it helps me keep tabs on pricing in the market.
Isaac Watson, Procurement
From Complex to Streamlined
This way of managing approval achieved impressive results
- 100+ approvals stored in one place, accessible by the whole team
- 35+ new material options discovered on ChemCloud
- 400+ automated RFQs to approved suppliers
- 2-4 hours saved per week freeing up resources for strategic initiatives.
What began as a way to simplify tedious manual processes has become Sampson's strategic advantage for procurement efficiency and market awareness. Sampson Chemical Products can now spend more time on strategic initiatives while maintaining competitive pricing and supply chain resilience.
