Factory supplies team kicks it up a notch: four key suppliers provide United Technologies with continuous improvement ideas that are beating cost targets.(partnering with mro suppliers)(K&S, Haas TCM, Bruckner Supply Company Inc. and Praxair)

Purchasing, October, 2005 by Avery, Susan

At some companies, the purchasing professionals seem almost weary of programs designed to reduce costs. Not so at United Technologies, where the supply management operation appears energized by the relaunch of a cost-savings initiative for indirect goods and services. After exceeding targets set earlier this decade under an initiative called UT500, the purchasing pros are now hard at work on its successor, UT500 Plus!

Initially launched in April, 2001, UT500 sets savings targets for categories of indirect spending managed by cross-functional, cross-divisional teams. The teams use process, policy and sourcing strategies to meet their goals.

One team, led by Brian Ross, MRO/chemicals commodity manager, is factory supplies, which consists of...

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