UMMA launches new purchasing initiative
ST. LOUIS – Boat builder buying group the United Marine Manufacturers Association has launched a major new purchasing program for its members, it said in a release today.
The new system was approved by the UMMA Advisory Board and its Purchasing Committee at their December planning meeting in Raleigh, N.C., and it will take effect immediately, resulting in a review of all of its program categories prior to the 2006 model year.
“After considering various alternatives, we have formalized a new purchasing committee structure, which secures the commitment of 20 of our largest members, not only to a common program negotiation and supplier selection, but the process itself commits these members to the support of those suppliers’ products,” said Kent Wooldridge, UMMA president.
Wooldridge said that because of UMMA’s size and diversity, it has always been difficult to fully consolidate the purchasing power of its membership.
“We have studied alternatives for some time and believe that the combination of incentives for supplier support, coupled with penalties for non-compliance, will allow UMMA to narrow its focus to a more limited supplier base, while increasing all of our member’s support for our approved suppliers,” Wooldridge said.
Program implementation will begin with the first of a series of requests for quotations in early January, with final proposals from selected suppliers presented to the purchasing committee beginning in late January.
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