RLB’s recent Procurement Trends report highlighted a recurring theme we’re seeing across our client base – one of growing disruption in procurement and supply chains that is fuelling caution and, in some cases, deterring organisations from pursuing critical opportunities.
Here, RLB’s Head of Supply Chain & Procurement, Jake Bush, talks to PBC Today about how risk management is achievable and can save clients up to 20% or more in costs and 40% in procurement timelines.
The market has changed and so have behaviours
Insights from the latest RLB Procurement Trends report, based on a nationwide survey of contractors, paint a picture of an industry under pressure. Market volatility, rising insolvencies and tighter margins are forcing both clients and contractors to rethink how they work together.
Encouragingly, over 40% of contractors are seeing an uptick in collaborative procurement practices, and 25% increased appetite for sharing risks.
However, momentum is slowing. Fewer projects are locking into fixed-price contracts, opting instead for flexible terms. This signals a market that’s maturing – embedding new behaviours but still navigating uncertainty.
While collaboration is essential, risk cannot be removed entirely. That’s why proactive supply chain management – from sourcing through to delivery – is key. Understanding your entire value chain provides resilience, agility and the ability to deliver even when the unexpected occurs.
Sustainability high up the procurement agenda but still not being measured
We are also seeing a drive for greener, more sustainable construction in tenders. However, delivery remains inconsistent. One in three projects that set sustainability targets still miss them – a figure that has remained unchanged year on year.
Sustainable delivery begins with end-to-end supply chain alignment. Many projects still fail to embed sustainability at the sourcing stage, leading to attempts to retrofit it later during delivery, often at higher cost and with limited effectiveness.
When the supply chain is aligned with environmental goals from the outset, organisations can reduce risk, improve cost control and achieve more resilient and measured ESG outcomes.
The good news is that there are ways of creating a value chain that can lead to strategic partnerships and long-term outcomes, working with teams like ours here at RLB, who are positioned to secure the right partners, who understand the risk and can help you adapt to it. Optimising every stage of the supply chain using asset tracking, supplier capacity checks and targeted risk assessments.
Whether buying directly supplied equipment, negotiating preferred supply agreements, or sourcing goods and services across adjacent business lines, the result is fewer disruptions and more reliable schedules, and can make the difference between a viable project and one that fails to deliver.
This is an abridged version of an article that first appeared in PBC Today.
RLB’s Supply Chain and Procurement Management service is designed to help organisations navigate complex procurement challenges and build resilient, efficient, and sustainable supply chains.
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