Jose Paredes Hernandez

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…

It’s been an exciting week here at Supply Chain Now! Catch up on all the latest episodes, interviews, conversations, and livestreams right here for all the hottest supply chain news! On Monday, we launched Dial P for Procurement with program co-hosts Kelly Barner & Scott Luton who welcomed two professionals who have put their procurement and supply chain experience to work in the service of others: Anna McGovern, Chief Supply Chain Officer at the Food Bank for New York City, and Kathy Fulton, Executive Director of the American Logistics Aid Network.   On Tuesday, Laura Cyrus with Truckers Against Trafficking joined host Enrique Alvarez to share how supply chain & trucking workers are uniquely positioned to combat human trafficking.   On Wednesday, we launched our new Digital Transformers series in partnership with Total Network Service. Check out our first episode as Scott Luton, Kevin L. Jackson, and special host Thomas Carter welcome Dave Stehlin and Chris Poli to the show.   On Thursday, we released The Supply Chain Buzz with Kevin L. Jackson, Greg White, & Scott Luton who discuss leading stories from global supply chain and global business, including the skyrocketing costs of medical supplies, the impact of IoT…