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Pooling: definition & important aspects for purchasing specialists
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Pooling in a nutshell:
Pooling describes the systematic bundling of similar requirements or resources from different divisions or organizations. For purchasing, this strategy enables an increase in purchasing power through larger volumes as well as the realization of synergy effects and cost savings.
Example: Three medium-sized hospitals pool their annual requirements for medical gloves of 200,000 units each to a total quantity of 600,000 units and achieve a price reduction of 18% compared to individual orders through this pooling strategy.
Contents
What is pooling in purchasing?
In purchasing, pooling refers to the bundling of requirements and resources in order to negotiate better conditions with suppliers by increasing volumes. This strategy enables companies to realize cost savings through volume discounts and more favourable contract terms. Pooling can take place internally between different departments or locations of a company or externally through purchasing cooperation with other companies.
Core elements of pooling
Importance of pooling for purchasing
Pooling enables companies to significantly increase their purchasing power and thus reduce costs. It facilitates access to preferred suppliers and improves security of supply. It also promotes more efficient processes and reduces the administrative workload in the procurement process.
Pooling: from decentralized purchasing to strategic pooling
Demand analysis, the bundling of requirements in purchasing, is a decisive factor for companies to reduce costs and increase efficiency in highly competitive markets. Building on the theoretical basis, it makes it possible to negotiate better conditions and optimize process costs by increasing purchasing volumes. In practice, the importance of pooling is growing as global supply chains become more complex and companies increasingly look for synergy effects. The transformation from traditional decentralized purchasing to strategic pooling is therefore essential in order to realize market advantages.
Old: Decentralized purchasing
Traditional approach: In decentralized purchasing, individual departments or locations make their purchases independently of each other. Each unit maintains its own supplier relationships, conducts separate negotiations and concludes individual contracts. Although this approach offers flexibility and direct control, it leads to a fragmentation of purchasing activities. Without a coordinated purchasing strategy, companies miss out on potential volume discounts and incur high administrative costs due to redundant processes. There is also a lack of transparency regarding overall procurement, which makes cost control more difficult and increases the risk of inconsistencies.
New: Strategic pooling
Strategic pooling: Modern companies rely on strategic pooling to optimize their procurement processes.
Conclusion on the pooling method
Pooling in purchasing is an effective strategy for saving costs and optimizing processes. By pooling requirements and resources, companies can strengthen their negotiating position and achieve better conditions. Despite certain challenges such as increased coordination effort, the advantages clearly outweigh the disadvantages. With advancing digitalization and new technologies, pooling will remain an important tool in strategic purchasing in the future.
