Anthony Bellamy

Special Guest Blog Post written by Bernadine Henderson Ms. Henderson, senior director of procurement at Protolabs, lifts the lid on buying in manufacturing and why relationships are central to it.   Simply put, the job of a buyer is really about buying the right thing at the right time for the right price. It sounds simple, but it really is very complicated because everything that’s going on in the world impacts the timing, the availability, and the price of the product. This means that buying has recently got a lot more complicated. World events have very real consequences on global supply chains. Just one example is the way in which buyers have responded to tariffs in the U.S. by re-routing sourcing locations. It takes a certain amount of agility to be a buyer in 2025, and this quick responsiveness is helped along by one key ingredient, and that is strong relationships with suppliers. Relationships Built on Trust A widely held misconception is that buyers are only interested in getting to the lowest price possible. In fact, the most important thing to a buyer is for suppliers to bring solutions that deliver overall value. In my experience, a really strong supplier…

Turn data into insight – map, monitor, and mitigate fortced labor risks across your value chain. Since the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) went into effect in 2022, sub-tier supply chain visibility has become an increasingly critical and ubiquitous prerequisite for import compliance. Automotive companies, due in no small part to their highly complex supply chains, are among the hardest hit by this requirement of anti-forced labor and ESG regulations. A recent study by Sayari analysts found that 95% of leading OEMs’ exposure to forced labor risk comes from sub-tier suppliers. The ability to identify and mitigate risks throughout their value chains is critical for OEMs aiming to minimize operational disruptions, avoid detentions, and maintain competitive advantage. Download the report to learn how Sayari is overcoming barriers to supply chain visibility, enabling OEMs to map their sub-tier supply chains, identify indirect exposure to forced labor risk, and foster greater supply chain resilience in an increasingly dynamic trade landscape. DOWNLOAD NOW