Location, location, location_2
13 September 2012
Nissan is the latest company to decide that the most profitable place for procurement is with the design team, rather than manufacturing. It reflects the function's growing importance, says Malcolm Wheatley
The threat of strike action by buyers at Nissan's award-winning Sunderland car plant late last year threw a spotlight on an issue that is rarely subjected to scrutiny - where is the most suitable location for the purchasing department? The cause was the car maker's announcement in November that it wanted to relocate its purchasing function 250 miles south to Cranfield...