Delivering value for money for an internationally-renowned academic institution
Public sector procurement is governed by strict legalisation, compliance, and an overarching need to source products and services that represent the best value for money whilst maintaining reliability.
For purchasing professionals, balancing these needs and making efficient and cost saving decisions while sourcing high-quality products necessitates a proactive and reliable supply partner.
In return, the right supplier should support its customers’ purchasing processes by offering a comprehensive portfolio backed by technological innovation, a world-class customer experience, and flexible delivery options.
With solutions tailored to meet the individual needs of the customer and their unique market challenges, omnichannel products and solutions provider, RS is more than a one-stop-shop; it provides an extensive range of high-performing, competitively-priced product solutions to help its customers deliver on their promises.
The challenge
Imperial College London (ICL) is a global top 10 university with a world renowned reputation in science, engineering, medicine, and business. Part of the Russell Group, ICL has been named by Reuters as the UK’s most innovative university, thanks to its entrepreneurial culture and ties to industry.
With more than 8000 staff and 20,000 students, ICL had identified the need to reduce the cost of consumables for its laboratory and research team, which procures products required for use in its world-leading science, engineering and research operations.
As a longstanding supplier, RS provides ICL with a number of different product solutions for use in teaching and research, including low-value consumables, tooling, and Test & Measurement items. RS’s dedicated account management team worked in partnership with ICL to identify where cost savings could be made, without compromising on the quality or functionality of the consumables required.
The solution
By demonstrating the savings of RS’s own-label products over branded alternatives, RS was able to show real-time savings for ICL, as well identifying the potential for further cost reductions.
RS PRO, RS’s ever-expanding range of high-quality own-brand industrial products and electrical components, is the largest in the industry with more than 70,000 tools & consumable items in areas covering automation, electrical, electronics, and test & measurement.
Built on decades of engineering expertise, every RS PRO product is audited, inspected, tested, and certified under the RS Seal of Approval, which follows the same rigorous testing and international standards as branded alternatives, with each item backed by a three-year warranty.
The outcome
By working closely with RS to meet their cost-saving objectives, ICL has already saved £15,000, with the potential for £42,000 additional savings.
“The RS PRO range gives us access to everything we need, with readily available and cost-effective products backed up by flexible delivery.”Peter Leahy, Category Manager (Laboratory/Research), Imperial College London
The RS PRO catalogue of products has been embedded within the university’s existing e-procurement solution, giving employees easy access to cost-effective and compliant consumables. In addition, the RS Scanstock® solution is in place, an added-value service managed by the nearby RS Local branch, which stock checks and replenishes the supply of low-value, fast-moving supplies onsite.
Says Peter Leahy, Category Manager (Laboratory/Research) at Imperial College London, “The consumables we source from RS are used extensively in our laboratories and scientific research. To allow us to deliver our work and maintain our reputation, the products must offer value for money, combined with quality, functionality, and performance. The RS PRO range gives us access to everything we need, with readily available and cost-effective products backed up by flexible delivery.”
Lorna Henderson, National Account Manager - Education, explains: “We worked with ICL to demonstrate the savings that could be made by using RS PRO. With access to our extensive portfolio, we’ve helped drive cost savings for ICL while ensuring they receive quality products as and when they need them.”
For more information on the range of RS Pro, visit here