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Purchasing: It's more than just a job, it's an art form

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CKCA by Caroline Castrucci
Caroline Castrucci is CP/Owner of Laurysen Kitchens Ltd. & President of Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association. For more info email ccastrucci@laurysenkitchens.com

By Richard Kaufmann
As the saying goes ‘where there is a will there is a way.’
And that, in a nutshell, is exactly what it takes to become an outstanding purchaser for your cabinet manufacturing business. Purchasing is demanding and requires attention to detail, strategic intent and good negotiation skills. Purchasing is critical to your bottom line.
At a CKCA regional meeting in Ontario this June, I was talking to several cabinet manufacturers and it was quite apparent that purchasing is very important for their companies. Particularly in the area of just-in-time inventory and inventory management, purchasing exactly what is required to limit unwanted remnants and slow moving material is crucial. This is where purchasing becomes an art form and good purchasers instinctively understand the delicate balance between optimization versus material through put. All the while attempting to eradicate human error in communication so that logistical goals are achieved and production efficiencies are realized.
Short of having the uncanny knack for hitting the mark every single time, the purchasing department that your company requires must be steady and reliable. It is an essential department for a myriad of reasons that are directly connected to the performance of your production team and quality of your product, two elements, which are absolutely critical to your company’s success. It takes a strong individual to make a strong team.
Your purchasing department is essential to your success and requires a strong individual to be an effective purchaser because he or she will confront many challenges and is expected to pull many rabbits out of their hat. It is finding com- fort in the discomfort, in a never-ending, solution-finding environment. Suppliers are often challenged by currency fluctuations, seasonal wood constraints, weather conditions when trucking, border issues and labour complications to name but a few. Purchasers will have to be quick and able to think on their feet. They need to be creative and able to find alternatives if it becomes necessary.
The one thing that you don’t need is poor performance from other team members that would hold back purchasing success. It never fails, but the reality is people let you down on every level. I can honestly say that I feel for purchasers in this industry, you just never know when a curve ball gets thrown at you and that’s just a part of the job description.
That being said, a purchaser’s best friend is a distributor, well I stand corrected, the right kind of distributor. One that is your supply champion, serves you well, thinks for you, and provides you with great service and quality material. A good distributor is critical for a cabinet manufacturers’ success in that they provide consistency and support in the manufacturing process.
Finding a good distributor is paramount for a purchaser and trust must be established so that a purchaser feels that they are getting the best value for money spent. Purchasers need to get out of the office and need an ally in their world. Examples of such distributors are constantly attempting to help and cater to your needs. They care and a good distributor builds a relationship and partners with you in your success. It is not about how much credit the distributor can grant you, it is how the distributor will provide minimal disruptions for the purchaser so that those unwanted curveballs will not hinder the prime directive, which is to protect and increase your gross margin.


Richard Kaufmann is Vice-President of the Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association. He is also Vice President & General Manager of Pacific Rim Cabinets, located in Delta, British Columbia. He can be reached at rkaufmann@pacrimcab.com

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