Jerry Spence

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…

Special Guest Blog Post written by Memory Mathema   Tackling climate change is one of the defining challenges of our lifetime. Understanding the implications of decarbonization is imperative to eliminating the risks that come with taking a complacent approach. Our responsibility lies in understanding the impact of our operations and acknowledging the escalating urgency to transition to a carbon neutral future and reduce the environmental footprint of all business undertakings. This is not only right for individual organizations but for the good of the whole society. South Africa ranks 14th globally in carbon emissions and stands as Africa’s leading polluter. The nation’s energy intense economy highlights its crucial role in spearheading efforts to reduce the continent’s carbon footprint and achieve net zero goals. Outdated energy generation methods, particularly coal reliance for 80% of energy needs, overshadow the country’s vast potential in hydrogen, solar and wind power. Both public and private sectors are recognizing the need for sustainable alternatives and are transitioning towards greener energy sources, fostering a shift towards sustainable carbon neutral supply chains. Addressing Scope 3 emissions, which constitute a significant portion of global greenhouse gas emissions, is necessary to delivering carbon neutrality across operations. Organizations must entrench an…