by Mary Ruth Williamson, CEO | Mar 31, 2026 | Spend Analysis
Most manufacturers have spend data. Far fewer have spend clarity. Direct materials spend analysis is often treated like a reporting exercise: export the data, sort it, chart it, move on. The problem is that reporting doesn’t surface opportunity by itself. The value of...
by Mary Ruth Williamson, CEO | Feb 4, 2026 | Direct Materials Sourcing
When manufacturers talk about cost reduction, the conversation usually defaults to negotiation. Sometimes that works. More often, it turns into an annual ritual: squeeze the supplier, celebrate the spreadsheet, then watch costs creep back in through surcharges,...
by Mary Ruth Williamson, CEO | Jan 9, 2026 | Direct Materials Sourcing
For manufacturers, direct materials sourcing isn’t just “purchasing.” It’s a core driver for margin, uptime, quality, long-term competitiveness, and cash flow wearing a hard hat. Yet in many mid-market organizations, direct materials decisions still happen reactively:...
