The Thomas Blog

3 Proven Tips To Source Packaging Materials

No matter what type of business you run or what industry you are in, chances are that you will need to source packaging materials at some point. 

Packaging requirements vary widely, and so do the solutions in the marketplace. For example, simple shipping needs can be addressed with off-the-shelf corrugated boxes, while custom-designed, die-cut folding packaging material may be necessary to withstand volatile shipping environments.

Whatever your packaging needs are, it helps to understand your options. Let’s take a look at three areas of sourcing flexibility to find best performance, price, and supplier.

Steel Scandal Will Shake Up The Supply Chain

Some of the biggest names in manufacturing — Boeing, General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Honda, and many others — have seen their supply chains thrown into turmoil after a major Japanese steel supplier admitted fabricating quality control data.

THOMASNET.com Version 3 Is Now Live!

Business never shuts off — a supplier evaluation is performed every 2 seconds on THOMASNET.com! We are constantly developing new ways for engineers, procurement managers, and MROs to better access data on the platform. That's why we just launched THOMASNET.com Version 3.

The following is an overview of the improvements included in this release:

5 Procurement Strategies For Small And Mid-Sized Businesses

Small business owners wear many hats, and a multitude of demands (staffing, financing, inventory management, marketing, and customer service) quickly consume their time, focus, and daily operations. As a result, procurement tends to be an afterthought — when it should be approached strategically.

Small businesses spend between 45 and 65 percent of sales revenue on procurement of inputs.  Therefore, procurement should be considered a viable opportunity to reduce costs and improve efficiency. 

The ThomasNet.com Supplier Discovery Platform Becomes a Vital Resource to Walmart’s Supply Chain

Walmart’s $250 billion commitment to buy products that support American jobs is expected to make a big impact on US manufacturing. Within the next 10 years, more of the company’s vendors will be sourcing American-made products and components to support their “Made in USA” initiative.

How Procurement Managers Can Break Out of the “No Quote” Blues

“Not for us.” “Volume is too low.” “We can’t do that size.”

You’ve heard every excuse possible. No matter how hard you try, sometimes it feels like you will never find a custom manufacturing supplier that will even give you a quote, never mind actually produce the parts you need. In an economy that has folks pushing to maximize every opportunity, it seems very counter intuitive that we would see this many possible jobs get turned down, doesn’t it?

Stand Out on the Shortlist: The B2B Buying Cycle, Part 4

Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. What’s most important to them when sourcing? Early on, speed and efficiency are key — conducting research on their terms, without worrying about an email or a call back. That doesn’t change once they reach the shortlist stage — they’re still not ready to spend time on queries. In fact, you likely won’t even know you’re on the shortlist until the first time they contact you.

How does the shortlist work, and how can you improve your chances of getting there — and getting selected?