Indirect procurement in technical purchasing: sourcing CNC parts more efficiently

What does indirect procurement mean – and why is it often underestimated?

The terms “direct” and “indirect procurement” originally come from strategic purchasing management. While direct procurement involves the procurement of raw materials, semi-finished products or components for production, indirect procurement relates to services, operating resources, IT, office equipment – and also internal expenses in the procurement process itself. Indirect procurement does not only refer to classic “C” materials such as office supplies or IT services. It also includes internal expenses in operational purchasing, such as obtaining quotations, checking drawings or quality assurance.

Examples of indirect expenses in the CNC procurement process:

• Supplier search and comparison
• Coordination of quotation returns
• Checking CAD data for manufacturability
• Quality assurance & documentation
• Keeping track of delivery dates

These processes take time, tie up expertise and are often carried out using different tools or by email. Despite their high relevance, they are rarely fully digitized.

Direct vs. indirect purchasing for CNC components

A CNC component itself is part of direct procurement. But the path to it is full of indirect process steps. This part is often underestimated, especially for individual parts, small batches or short-term requirements.

Typical challenges:

• No standardized suppliers for different processes
• High volume of communication for drawing queries
• Uncertainties regarding delivery time, quality and documentation

This is where digital procurement comes in: Those who automate recurring tasks not only reduce costs, but also gain back valuable time.

Typical indirect expenses in CNC purchasing

Case study: Reducing purchasing costs through digital CNC procurement

A medical technology supplier regularly procures small CNC assemblies with tight tolerances and documentation requirements. In the past, 4-5 offers were obtained manually, supplier qualifications were documented and test reports were requested separately.

With CNC24, everything now runs centrally:

• The design uploads the STEP model
• The purchasing department receives an offer including delivery time 1-2 days later
• Production and quality assurance are carried out by verified partners
• Test reports, material certificates and delivery status can be accessed centrally

Result: >40% time savings in operational purchasing – with consistent quality and a reduced complaint rate.

Conclusion: Recognizing indirect procurement as an efficiency lever

Indirect costs in CNC procurement are real – and expensive. The good news is that they can be measurably reduced using digital platforms.

Digital procurement via CNC24 means:

• Less communication effort
• Faster quotation processes
• Better planning thanks to fixed delivery dates
• Relief for operational purchasing

Whether for series, prototypes or sample parts: Digital CNC procurement is a pragmatic lever for optimizing purchasing – especially in times of a shortage of skilled workers and increasing cost pressure.

More about quality assurance at CNC24