Our website and brand is more than just a digital presence—it’s a space where you can explore our company, learn more about our rigorous process, discover more about prior project successes, and engage with us on subjects of interest via our Claudia Perspective articles. 

Here’s some of what you can expect:

• Discover Our Services: Dive into our strategic sourcing and supply chain transformation services that are always customized to your company yet grounded in a proven rigorous process.
• Learn Our Story: Get to know the heart behind Claudia Consulting, from our founders as we also share our perspective on current supply chain topics.
• Join the Journey: Sign up for updates, connect with us and learn more about how we can work with you to improve your supply chain to support your strategic plan.

While our website is evolving, what makes Claudia unique and your trusted partner has not:

Our PROCESS is always our NORTH STAR guiding our work

Our focus on DATA ensures we REMAIN OBJECTIVE

Our FOCUS is on delivering TANGIBLE BUSINESS IMPACT with a focus on YOUR P&L

Our EXPERIENCE informs our CUSTOMIZED APPROACH for your company

We focus on RIGOR and RESULTS because it is how YOUR BUSINESS improves

As founders, we set out to help our clients unlock value in their supply chains, but this is just the beginning. We’re here to listen, learn, and grow alongside you. Visit claudiaconsulting.com today to explore what we’ve created and share your thoughts—we’d love to hear from you.

With gratitude,

Scott Brewer & Roger Riley

Co-Founders and Managing Partners

Let’s say your strategic sourcing opportunity is $60 million annually. That’s $5 million per month in potential benefit to the P&L, assuming it all goes to the bottom line, and cash savings. If you delay by even one month, that’s $5 million in cash lost forever. Not deferred, not delayed—gone.

Now scale that out:

• 1-month delay = $5M lost
• 3-month delay = $15M lost
• 6-month delay = $30M lost

This isn’t just theory. In a capital-intensive industry like manufacturing, this lost cash could have funded automation upgrades, offset labor pressures, or helped buffer supply chain volatility. Instead, it quietly vanishes into operational inefficiency.

Yes, the earnings benefit may still show up later. However, cash is king, and manufacturers know the importance of liquidity in a world of fluctuating input costs, unpredictable lead times, and constant margin pressure.

So, when is the right time to start?

• When inflation is increasing input costs
• When capital budgets are under scrutiny
• When suppliers are consolidating, and leverage matters
• When supply chains are rife with uncertainty
• When you can’t afford to leave cost savings on the table

That time is now. Strategic sourcing isn’t just a cost-reduction play. It’s a working capital improvement—and the longer you wait, the smaller that improvement becomes. So, what are you waiting for?

Mr Brewer is 30-plus year veteran of strategic sourcing and supply chain transformations.  His work has saved billions of dollars for organizations around the world.  For more information reach out to Scott at scott.brewer@claudiaconsulting.com or visit Claudiaconsulting.com

• How do we know if we’re buying our direct materials at the best total cost?
• How do we control our costs when we transition supply to a new supplier (in a different region)?
• Is this an opportunity to achieve a step-function change in our direct material cost structure?

In this edition of Claudia Perspective, we’ll look at each of these strategic questions and offer some insights, based on our experience, on how you can turn this near-term challenge into a strategic advantage for your company

Question 1:  How do we know if we’re buying our direct materials at the best total cost?

We frequently see companies respond with “Of course we are!  Our Purchasing/Sourcing organization quotes all parts in accordance with our company policies, and they report savings every year!”

Unfortunately, it is almost always not the case.  As a matter of fact, it is rarely the case, at least across the board.

Have you heard this phrase?  “Three quotes and a cloud of smoke”

Purchasing organizations are busy:  supply shortages, quality issues, new product development, account payable issues, etc.  To “survive,” most Purchasing organizations get 3 quotes, decide, and go with the source that meets the required timeline and has an “acceptable” cost.

Bundled awards, cost trade-offs between product lines, and engineering-specified parts from specific suppliers all reduce the cost efficiency for your P&L.  Add in the infamous year-over-year (YOY) supplier cost reduction requirements that align with how the Purchasing organization is measured, and your company is almost certainly NOT buying your materials at the best total cost.

You’re almost certainly buying at a known acceptable cost and funding your own YoY cost reduction!

Question 2: How do we control our costs when we transition supply to a new supplier (in a different region)?

Transitioning parts from your current supplier to a new supplier, especially due to a short-term need, is expensive. You need to qualify the supplier, purchase new tooling, obtain sample parts, and then find engineering resources to test and validate them.  This is expensive and time-consuming.

What if you could leverage your supply base to not only do part testing and validation for you (yes, it may not be easy for your engineering organization to accept this!), but what if they could also help offset some of the internal costs as well?  We have real experience and results in achieving this for our clients throughout our project work, and have surprised many executives and engineering organizations along the way.

Question 3:  Is this an opportunity to achieve a step-function change in our direct material cost structure?

The answer is YES!

While the pressure to take action to address near-term cost pressures for your business is real, it is also an opportunity to systematically improve your supply chain to achieve even better financial results that align with your strategic plan.

Given the challenges your Purchasing organization is facing and the cost to transition supply to new suppliers in response to a dynamic geopolitical situation, using this opportunity to ensure that you are sourcing from the best total value region and suppliers and transitioning parts in ways that manage costs is what will separate you from your competitors and have your supply chain be a strategic advantage.

Contact Us to Discuss More

Claudia’s rigorous and proven 7-step process will enable your organization to engage with the global supply base and have the data to confidently know that you are spending your direct materials budget efficiently and effectively.  Beyond hard cost savings that are visible in the P&L, we have delivered non-price savings, including Transition Assistance and no-charge supplier-performed testing and validation.  We’ve also been in your shoes; we’ve transitioned supply in order to achieve cost savings, while also managing supplier risk and continuity of supply.