Andrè Vermeulen The 5 Principles of LEAN in 2026 If you’ve been in the procurement and supply chain game for as long as I have, you remember when LEAN was treated like a religion. The mantra was strict: cut the fat, reduce the stock, and chase the a... Logistics Procurement Supply Chain
Andrè Vermeulen Procurement Operational Renaissance If there is one thing I have learned over the many years in this game, from the paper-pushing days of the early 90's to the cloud revolutions of the 2010's, it is that procurement is cyclical. We osci... Procurement Supply Chain
Andrè Vermeulen Mastering Risk in the "Fragmented Reality" of 2026 I’ve been in this game for thirty-five years. I remember the frantic globalisation of the 90s, the shock of 2008, and the scramble of 2020. But as I sit here in December 2025, looking back at a year t... Procurement Supply Chain
Andrè Vermeulen The Invisible Handshake If there is one thing I’ve learned in my years navigating the shifting tides of supply chains, from the paper-heavy days of the late 80s to the hyper-connected, AI-driven landscape we stand in today, ... Procurement Supply Chain
Andrè Vermeulen Why 2026 Demands a Dual-Lens Strategy (Kraljic + Kenton) I remember when "digital transformation" meant moving from a typewriter to a desktop computer, and when "supply chain visibility" meant calling a factory manager on a landline to ask if the truck had ... Procurement Supply Chain
Andrè Vermeulen The Human Element in a Digital World We stand at a fascinating crossroads. Over the last three and a half decades, I’ve watched procurement evolve from a back-office clerical function into a boardroom powerhouse. But as we close out 2025... Procurement Supply Chain
Andrè Vermeulen AI Hype vs. Reality It is December 2025. Take a look around your office, or your Zoom screen. Does the energy feel different to you? A year ago, we were all running on pure adrenaline. We were told that Generative AI wou... Logistics Procurement Supply Chain
Andrè Vermeulen Hybrid Models, Reshoring, and Your Final Decision Resilience Trumps Efficiency We've reached the end of the "Make vs. Buy Decision" series. For the last 30 years, the winner in manufacturing was the leader who built the cheapest supply chain. For the... Logistics Procurement Supply Chain
Andrè Vermeulen Navigating the Hidden Risks of Outsourcing The 'Price' vs. 'Cost' Trap The biggest mistakes come from leaders who only see the price tag. A supplier's price is not your cost . The gap between those two numbers, a gap filled with rework, shippi... Logistics Procurement Supply Chain
Andrè Vermeulen The Strategic Benefits of 'Buying' (Contract Manufacturing) The Strategy of 'Doing Less, Better' Leaders, don't ask, "What can we do?" They ask, "What should we do?" The "buy" decision, choosing contract manufacturing, is not a sign of weakness. It is a delibe... Procurement Supply Chain
Andrè Vermeulen The Strategic Benefits of 'Making' (Own Manufacturing) The Power of Owning Your Process The first question to ask is: do you want to compete on price, or do you want to compete on value ? If the answer is "value," the case for "making" becomes very strong... Procurement Supply Chain
Andrè Vermeulen 'Make' vs 'Buy' Decision (Introduction) The Most Expensive Decision You'll Make This Decade I’ve seen more companies bleed cash, lose market share, and damage their brands over one decision than any other. It’s not R&D. It’s not marketing. ... Logistics Procurement Supply Chain
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