Enscite, the organisation created to help manufacturing SMEs develop business opportunities in the transport engineering supply chain, has spearheaded the launch of the East Midlands’ first Collaborative Purchasing Group (CPG) focussed on Indirect Purchasing Services to improve supply chain agility and increase local sourcing.
Amongst the founding members of the Group are major blue chip organisations from the region including Toyota, Bombardier Transport and East Midlands Trains (EMT).
The Group has embarked on a programme to support their manufacturing facilities and operations through sharing best practice and supply chain expertise within ‘Indirect Purchasing Services’ – this encompasses the sourcing of all goods and services to aid the running of businesses and factories such as facilities management, maintenance, energy and office supplies, andthe use of contractors.
CPG’s activities will also include developing a knowledge-based portal and a benchmarking process to improve quality, safety and performance in their supply chains.
Enscite’s Head of Innovation & Technology, Sid Bains, explained: “Enscite is delighted to bring the major OEMs (or Original Equipment Manufacturers) in the East Midlands into one collaborative sharing group. CPG is a ground breaking initiative and probably the first OEM collaboration group spanning the planes, trains and automobile sectors supply chains. CPG will improve the supply chain for the OEMs as well as increase more local sourcing and increased business for SMEs. This is a win-win for everyone – for the OEMs, for the SMEs, for the local region, and for UK plc.”
Toyota’s Christine Cooke, Chair of the group, said: “The traditional focus of OEM’s has been on direct parts and services. Through this joint initiative, we hope to be able to pinpoint and achieve best practice to support a mutually beneficial and improved local supply chain.”
Representing East Midlands Trains on the Group is Bob Mercer, who added: “EMT has already started to implement the policy of the CPG by restructuring one of its contracts into more regional, smaller lots so that more local SMEs can bid for work.”
Bombardier’s Ian Hutcheson explained: “Management of contractors is a key area of focus for Bombardier and we see CPG as an ideal platform for working with other major companies to understand how they manage contractors.”
