{"id":4820,"date":"2026-05-18T16:37:28","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T14:37:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.makeitalia.com\/how-to-reduce-purchasing-costs-in-the-supply-chain-with-method-levers-and-kpis\/"},"modified":"2026-10-01T17:14:20","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T15:14:20","slug":"how-to-reduce-purchasing-costs-in-the-supply-chain-with-method-levers-and-kpis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.makeitalia.com\/en\/how-to-reduce-purchasing-costs-in-the-supply-chain-with-method-levers-and-kpis\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Reduce Purchasing Costs in the Supply Chain with Method, Levers, and KPIs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Reducing purchasing costs in the Supply Chain<\/strong> requires a broader method than just price negotiation. Unit price remains a relevant element, but it is not sufficient to evaluate the real impact of a supply on <strong>margins, operational continuity, quality, and service<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a Purchasing Manager or a Commodity Manager, the point is not to obtain an isolated discount, but to <strong>build measurable, internally defensible, and sustainable savings over time<\/strong>. This means reading cost drivers, segmenting categories, comparing suppliers on objective bases, and monitoring performance after the negotiation. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Effective cost reduction occurs when Procurement, Supply Chain, and Operations share a common logic: intervening where the economic potential is real, without shifting the cost to other corporate functions or increasing supply risk.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reducing Purchasing Costs Does Not Only Mean Negotiating the Price<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reducing purchasing costs does not coincide with requesting lower economic conditions from the supplier. Negotiation is a lever, but it becomes weak when used alone, especially if the market has already absorbed previous negotiations or if the category is exposed to technical constraints, limited production capacity, or dependence on a few suppliers. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A structured approach starts from a different question: <strong>which cost components are truly manageable?<\/strong> Price can depend on raw materials, volumes, lots, delivery frequencies, technical specifications, required service levels, waste, urgencies, payment terms, or administrative complexity. Intervening only on price often means ignoring part of the problem. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For this reason, cost reduction in Procurement must distinguish between <strong>tactical actions<\/strong> and <strong>structural actions<\/strong>. The former act in the short term, for example through a renegotiation or a review of commercial conditions. The latter modify the causes of the cost: supplier base, specifications, processes, quality standards, procurement methods, and performance governance.  <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">From Unit Price to Total Cost: Why TCO Changes Priorities<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>TCO<\/strong>, or Total Cost of Ownership, indicates the total cost associated with a supply throughout its management cycle. In industrial Procurement, it includes not only the purchase price but also indirect costs and operational consequences: quality controls, non-conformities, delays, safety stocks, urgencies, administrative activities, extra logistics costs, and interruption risks. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In practice, TCO answers a very different question compared to simple unit cost: <strong>how much does it cost overall, over time, to collaborate with this supplier?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moving from unit price to TCO changes the way decisions are made.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, a component purchased at $1.00 might seem more competitive than one at $1.08. However, if the first requires more stock, generates returns, or involves frequent urgent shipments, the real total cost can become higher. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For this reason, indicators such as the following should be monitored:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>total logistics cost;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>inventory carrying cost;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>cost of non-quality;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>supplier service level;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>tied-up working capital;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>cost of operational emergencies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">TCO is therefore not just an economic analysis tool, but a <strong>decision-making approach that allows for the optimization of the entire Supply Chain<\/strong>, not just the negotiated price.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"167\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makeitalia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/saving-riduzione-costi-makeitalia-300x167-1.webp\" alt=\"Graphic image of a bar chart report.\" class=\"wp-image-1092\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Apparent Saving and Sustainable Saving<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Apparent saving occurs when the price decreases, but the overall cost does not improve or worsens. This happens, for example, when a reduction in unit price leads to less reliable delivery times, more acceptance checks, more follow-ups, or an increase in non-conformities. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sustainable saving, on the other hand, produces a measurable economic benefit without compromising quality, service, and supply continuity. It is a saving that can be explained with data, linked to a specific lever, and monitored over time. For this reason, declaring a negotiated saving is not enough. It is necessary to understand if that benefit truly enters the income statement and if it remains stable in the following months.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A useful distinction is that between <strong>negotiated saving<\/strong>, <strong>booked saving<\/strong>, and <strong>consolidated saving<\/strong>. The first arises from the negotiation. The second is seen in the prices or conditions recorded. The third is confirmed when the economic effect remains valid even considering volumes, performance, quality, and indirect costs.   <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Main Cost Drivers to Read Before the Negotiation<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before starting a negotiation with suppliers, it is useful to read the cost drivers of the category. A cost driver is a factor that contributes to the formation of the final cost and that can be, at least in part, influenced by technical, commercial, or organizational choices. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An effective negotiation does not start from the final price, but from the understanding of what generates it.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most recurring drivers in industrial purchasing include:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>purchased volumes, demand stability, availability of stable forecasts;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>technical specifications and level of customization;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>number of qualified suppliers available on the market;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>impact of raw materials, energy, or labor;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>minimum lots, delivery frequencies, and logistics conditions;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>required quality level and costs of non-conformity;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>lead time, flexibility, and production capacity of the supplier;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>payment terms and contractual clauses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This reading avoids generic negotiations. If the cost is driven by an overly restrictive specification, the lever will not be just commercial. If the problem is volume fragmentation, the lever will be consolidation. If the criticality is demand variability, the potential can be found in planning and requirement stability.   <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Identify Categories with the Greatest Saving Potential<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A cost reduction plan should not start from the categories that are easiest to negotiate, but from those where the economic potential is significant and the intervention risk is manageable. Priority does not depend only on annual spend: a high-value category may have low potential if the market is rigid, while a less relevant category may offer concrete margins if it is poorly managed. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For this reason, it is useful to build a <strong>combined view of spend, complexity, technical criticality, number of suppliers, negotiation history, performance, and supply risk<\/strong>. The goal is to decide where to act first, with which lever, and with what depth of analysis. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An approach often used in strategic procurement is the <strong>Kraljic Matrix<\/strong>, which classifies categories based on two main variables: economic impact and supply risk. This allows for the differentiation of purchasing strategies, concentrating resources on high-impact or high-criticality categories. <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Spend Analysis and Category Segmentation<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spend analysis is the starting point for understanding where the purchased value is concentrated and how it is distributed among categories, suppliers, plants, codes, and product families. Without this basis, the risk is chasing perceived but non-priority opportunities. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Effective segmentation can consider four dimensions:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>economic value, i.e., how much the category weighs on the total purchased;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>operational criticality, i.e., how much the supply affects production continuity and service;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>technical complexity, how binding specifications or quality requirements are;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>market competitiveness, how many alternative suppliers are actually available.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This reading allows for the distinction between categories to be renegotiated, categories to be tendered, categories to be standardized, and categories to be managed with partnership logic. Not all require the same action, and using the same lever everywhere reduces the effectiveness of the plan. <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Category-Supplier Matrix to Define Priorities<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Kraljic matrix is a useful tool for defining the potential levers to activate and the intervention priorities in the purchasing field, crossing two key dimensions: the economic impact of the category and the supply risk. Simply put, it allows for the classification of purchases into different areas: high-value and low-risk categories, high-value and high-risk categories, low-value but high management complexity categories, and low-impact and low-criticality categories. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The approach changes for each area. For high-value categories and a competitive market, it may make sense to work on tenders, benchmarks, and Strategic Sourcing. For critical categories, however, cost reduction must be more prudent and based on TCO, vendor rating, supplier development, design to cost, and shared technical review.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Low-economic-impact but high-management-complexity categories require, instead, an approach focused on simplification and standardization, because the &#8220;hidden&#8221; cost of management can be higher than the purchase value. Low-criticality and low-value categories are typically managed with operational efficiency logic and minimization of management effort; in some cases, by outsourcing management. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The matrix also serves to manage internal expectations. Not all categories can generate the same type of saving, and not all savings have the same level of risk. Making this difference visible helps Procurement defend its choices before Management, Operations, and Quality.  <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"178\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makeitalia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/makeitalia-cost-reduction-supply-chain-300x178-1.webp\" alt=\"Graphic of a bar chart report appearing on a hand.\" class=\"wp-image-1093\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Operational Levers to Reduce Purchasing Costs<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cost reduction levers must be chosen <strong>based on the category and the supplier context<\/strong>. A lever effective on standardized materials may be unsuitable for critical technical components. Similarly, a tender can work if the market is broad, but become risky if the current supplier possesses specific know-how or long qualification times.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most solid logic is to build a portfolio of levers: some market-oriented, others oriented toward the relationship with suppliers, and still others toward internal specifications and corporate processes.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Strategic Sourcing and Market Scouting<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Strategic Sourcing is the process by which the company analyzes the supply market, defines the strategy by category, and selects the suppliers most consistent with requirements, costs, risk, and expected performance. It is not a simple tender, but a method, with a structured approach applicable and shared by all internal stakeholders, to decide how to procure a category in the medium-to-long term. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Market scouting allows for verifying if real alternatives exist, what economic and operational conditions are actually feasible, if the price paid by the company for a certain component is aligned with the market, and how much the business depends on the current supplier. In some categories, especially those with high competition and low technical complexity, scouting can quickly generate new negotiation levers and immediate saving opportunities. In other situations, however, the main value of scouting is to build a progressive qualification plan over time, introducing credible alternatives and reducing dependence on single suppliers, without compromising production continuity, quality, or Supply Chain stability.  <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Supplier Base Rationalization<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supplier base rationalization consists of reducing, consolidating, or reorganizing the number of active suppliers when fragmentation generates management costs, volume dispersion, or low negotiation capacity. It does not mean eliminating suppliers indiscriminately, but distinguishing between strategic ones, replaceable ones, those to be developed, and those to be gradually phased out. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An overly broad supplier base can increase administrative activities, variability of conditions, control complexity, and monitoring difficulties. On the other hand, excessive rationalization can create dependence. For this reason, <strong>the choice must be guided by spend data, performance, risk, and technical capacity<\/strong>.  <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Standardization of Specifications and Requirement Review<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many purchasing costs arise before the negotiation, in the definition of specifications and requirements. Drawings, materials, tolerances, packaging, service levels, delivery frequencies, and customizations can generate complexity that Procurement inherits when the cost has already been determined. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Standardization reduces variants, exceptions, and low-rotation codes. Requirement review allows for verifying if what is requested is still consistent with real use. In an industrial context, this lever requires collaboration between purchasing, technical office, quality, planning, and operations.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Example: if multiple plants purchase similar components with slightly different specifications, the potential is not just negotiating a better price. It can be more effective to harmonize specifications, consolidate volumes, and reduce management complexity. <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Data-Driven Negotiation with Suppliers<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Data-driven negotiation uses data, benchmarks, volume trends, performance, and cost drivers to build a negotiation based on objective elements. This approach is more solid than a generic request for price reduction because it makes the reason for the intervention explicit and allows for discussing alternatives. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In some cases, a <strong>Cost Breakdown<\/strong> can support the comparison with the supplier, especially when the cost structure is influenced by raw materials, processing, energy, tooling, or labor. The Cost Breakdown must not turn into an isolated theoretical exercise: it is useful when it serves to identify shared levers and feasible decisions. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A well-prepared negotiation can include multiple options: lot review, framework agreements, volume commitments, technical modifications, new payment terms, differentiated service levels, or improvement plans. The supplier is not treated as a counterparty to be squeezed, but as an actor with whom to read where the cost is generated. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makeitalia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/kpi-acquisti-supply-chain-2-300x200-1.webp\" alt=\"Graphic with the text &quot;KPI&quot; and digital backgrounds, associated with Makeitalia's purchasing and supply chain KPIs.\" class=\"wp-image-1094\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Use Vendor Rating and Purchasing KPIs to Maintain Savings<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Vendor rating<\/strong> is a supplier evaluation system based on measurable criteria. It can include economic, qualitative, logistics, and service indicators. In the context of cost reduction, it serves to prevent the saving from being measured only at the time of negotiation and then lost in daily management.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Linking saving and vendor rating allows for reading the cost together with performance. If a supplier offers a competitive price but generates delays or non-conformities, the economic benefit must be re-evaluated. If a supplier maintains high performance, they can become a priority interlocutor for shared improvement projects.  <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Economic, Qualitative, and Service KPIs<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Purchasing KPIs must represent the real behavior of the category and the supplier; they serve to avoid an evaluation based only &#8220;on price.&#8221; There is no set valid for every company, but some indicators are recurring in cost reduction projects. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A useful dashboard can include:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>negotiated saving, to measure the effect of the negotiation;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>realized saving, to verify the actual impact on orders and invoices;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>price variance, to monitor deviations from agreements;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>incidence of non-conformities, to read the cost of quality;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>delivery punctuality, to evaluate reliability and service;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>average lead time and lead time variability, to estimate impacts on planning and stock;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>number of suppliers per category, to monitor fragmentation or dependence;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>degree of supplier dependence, to identify single sourcing situations or excessive exposure to individual strategic partners;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>supplier financial stability, to evaluate economic risk and the sustainability of the supply in the medium term;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>quality of the relationship with the supplier, to monitor the level of collaboration, responsiveness, transparency, and ability to support improvements or management of critical issues;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>contractual coverage, to understand how much spend is governed by formalized agreements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The function of KPIs is not to produce reporting for its own sake. <strong>Their value lies in making deviations visible, facilitating decisions, and maintaining the link between Purchasing, Supply Chain, and Operations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">From Negotiated Saving to Consolidated Saving<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A saving becomes consolidated when it is tracked in the systems, verified on real volumes, and confirmed by operational performance. This transition requires discipline: updated conditions, consistent price lists, order control, volume monitoring, and periodic comparison with suppliers. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Without governance, even a good negotiation can lose effectiveness<\/strong>. An agreed price may not be applied correctly, a forecast volume may not materialize, a technical modification may generate effects not considered. For this reason, the phase following the negotiation is an integral part of the cost reduction program.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Good oversight involves clear responsibilities: who validates the saving, who monitors the KPIs, who manages any deviations, who updates the conditions in the systems, and who communicates the effects to management.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">An Operational Framework to Build a Cost Reduction Plan<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A purchasing cost reduction plan should transform analysis into a sequence of decisions. The structure can be simple, as long as it is stable and shared. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An operational outline can include six steps:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>map the spend, distinguishing categories, suppliers, codes, plants, and applied conditions;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>segment the categories, crossing economic value, risk, complexity, and market competitiveness;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>read the cost drivers, separating price, specifications, volumes, quality, service, and indirect costs;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>choose the levers, avoiding applying the same action to different categories;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>define KPIs and baseline, to measure the saving against a shared base;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>build a timeline with milestones and a Gantt chart, to define responsibilities, expected timing, and monitor the actual progress of initiatives;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>monitor consolidation, verifying economic impact and performance over time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The baseline is the initial reference against which improvement is measured. It must be clear, shared, and consistent with the volumes considered. Without a baseline, the saving risks becoming an estimate that is difficult to defend.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The priority is not to build a complex model, but to avoid three recurring errors: treating all categories the same way, measuring only price, and not overseeing execution after the negotiation. <strong>A framework serves precisely to make the path repeatable and truly applicable<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions About Reducing Purchasing Costs<\/h2>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the difference between price reduction and total cost reduction?<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Price reduction concerns the unit value paid for a good or service. Total cost reduction also considers indirect costs, quality, lead time, urgencies, stock, non-conformities, and supply risk. For this reason, a price reduction does not always coincide with a sustainable saving.  <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When is it convenient to change suppliers?<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Changing suppliers can be useful when the market offers qualified alternatives, the current supplier is no longer competitive, or performance is not consistent with corporate needs. The decision must, however, consider qualification times, operational risk, transition costs, and impact on supply continuity. <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which KPIs should be used to measure savings in purchasing?<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most useful KPIs combine economic and operational indicators: negotiated saving, realized saving, price variance, delivery punctuality, non-conformities, lead time, contractual coverage, and supplier base concentration. The choice depends on the category and the type of lever adopted. <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to prevent cost reduction from worsening quality and service?<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cost reduction must be evaluated together with quality and service KPIs. If the saving is measured only on price, it can generate negative effects on deliveries, waste, follow-ups, or production continuity. Integrated control between purchasing, quality, and Supply Chain reduces this risk.  <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reducing Purchasing Costs as a Stable Procurement Capability<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reducing purchasing costs becomes effective when it is not treated as an occasional project, but as a <strong>stable Procurement capability<\/strong>. The method counts as much as the individual negotiation: spend analysis, TCO reading, category segmentation, supplier base management, KPIs, and governance allow for building more solid savings. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an industrial Supply Chain, cost is not managed only at the time of negotiation. It is built in the specifications, in the requirements, in the choice of suppliers, in the measurement of performance, and in the ability to maintain results over time. This perspective helps Procurement protect margins without turning cost reduction into a risk for quality, service, or supply continuity.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your company is also facing similar dynamics, it may be useful to discuss approaches and levers already applied in comparable industrial contexts. At Makeitalia, we support companies in structured cost reduction projects in the Procurement and Supply Chain fields, with a particular focus on the sustainability of results over time. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you would like to learn more or evaluate a similar project for your company, you can contact us through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.makeitalia.com\/contatti\/\">dedicated page<\/a>: it will be an opportunity to understand together if and how to intervene, in a concrete way and consistent with your priorities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Method and KPIs for reducing purchasing costs in the Supply Chain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4821,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4820","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-supply-chain-articles"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Reducing Purchasing Costs in the Supply Chain | Makeitalia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover the method, levers, and KPIs to cut purchasing costs in the supply chain and optimize corporate margins. 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