The agilebuyer firm notes that companies take advantage of the situation to impose indictment price increases on their customers.
by Jean-Michel Bezat
The purchasing directors of large companies and SMEs are not at the feast of recent years, marked by trade tensions between Europe, the United States and China, the Pandemic of Covid-19, the Outdoor of energy and raw materials, or war in Ukraine. Their concern and their choices are reflected in the fourteenth annual study conducted by the Agilebuyer company for the National Purchasing Council and published Tuesday January 10.
Almost nine out of ten directions were forced to renegotiate due to inflation. “Some suppliers take advantage of the situation, notes Olivier Wajnsztok, Associate Director of Agilebuyer. There is logical inflation, especially on energy. But others take the opportunity to pass increases, such as some American software suppliers. “And they are unable to justify these increases, notes Alexandre Billard, boss of the purchases of the Lumibird laser specialist. The food industry, the hotel and restaurant and leisure are the first victims of the breaks-renegotiations of contracts, followed by aeronautics-defense.
The study also notes the insufficient coverage of companies for electricity and gas, even if 68 % are covered for more than half of their consumption. The shortages, especially metals and chemicals, are deemed “critical” by 59 % of companies. They will stabilize for 50 % of managers, but increase for 30 %. A new risk has appeared: Taiwan. At the mercy of an invasion of China, the island is the first supplier of electronic flea, vital in the automobile, aeronautics and defense. One in only four in -four company has developed a plan to provide elsewhere in the event of a crisis.
relationship increasingly unbalanced with suppliers
Another phenomenon is confirmed: the desire to relocate purchases in Europe or France: 49 % of the departments plan to do so in 2023, first to secure supplies and, then, to reduce the carbon footprint. These figures climb 83 % in luxury fashion and 74 % in the automobile. And 65 % of companies say that the “made in France” is a criterion for the award of the market, a constant increase rate. More and more leaders nevertheless consider having difficulties in obtaining in France, less for reasons of cost than of availability of goods.
The relationship with suppliers is increasingly unbalanced in favor of the latter: 85 % of respondents consider that it will be unfavorable or unbalanced in 2023 (against 39 % in 2021). This is particularly felt in the pharmacy, cosmetics, food, heavy industry, construction and energy. This imbalance is mainly expressed by the rise in prices or the threat of breaking of contract.
In this very uncertain context, in particular for SMEs and intermediate -sized companies, cost reduction and their contribution to the results of the company become the priority requests of managers to purchasing services, provide two thirds of managers of managers This central function. A priority also underlined within local communities, which are large buyers. Mr. Wajnsztok notes that “the situation is, overall, more and more difficult” for companies. “They saw in the performance of their purchasing service a way to reduce costs,” he says. It is now a question of survival for them. “