CHICAGO, IL–(Marketwired – September 01, 2016) – Azul Partners today announced it has acquired new technology from Supply Dynamics, a Cincinnati-based provider of best-in-class technology solutions designed to address the challenges of procurement and supply chain complexity in distributed manufacturing environments.
This acquisition strengthens Azul’s MetalMiner offering through the combination of the world’s first and only resource for systematically comparing mill/manufacturer direct and distributed metal prices to the actual prices paid by hundreds of similar buyers in real time with its insight, benchmarking and analytics. MetalMiner provides manufacturers, traders, investors, corporations and consultants with critical intelligence based on deep industry knowledge and sophisticated modeling capabilities across the industrial metals sector. Supply Dynamics’ system of proprietary data collection and verification, when applied to the metals markets, will bring needed cost savings to manufacturers and corporations globally.
Technological advances have continued to increase the speed at which information is available on global commodity prices. However, these “benchmark prices” (e.g., LME Aluminum) lack the detailed information necessary to make accurate decisions when researching or sourcing semi-finished materials. Allowing manufacturers to compare the price of the materials they source (defined by alloy, grade, form and size) to the same materials purchased by hundreds of similar organizations is a huge step forward for the industry, bringing transparency and accountability to a formerly opaque marketplace. It also happens to be a fast and effective way for manufacturers to conduct comprehensive spend analysis, locate potential cost savings and identify alternative sources of supply.
Changes to the economic and political environment continue to drive volatility in commodities markets. With the industry’s most sophisticated pricing analytics toolset, MetalMiner arms manufacturers with critical information needed to optimize their businesses, investments and trading strategies.
“This acquisition underscores MetalMiner’s commitment to the North American Manufacturer while supporting Azul’s growth as the leading research and advisory firm serving procurement organizations,” said Lisa Reisman, Managing Director, Azul Partners, and Executive Editor & Co-Founder of MetalMiner. “MetalMiner clients will benefit from an improved level of transparency in their 2017 sourcing of metal, supported by innovative technologies that deliver a higher level of granularity and a more sophisticated view of market conditions and their impact on price.”
Trevor Stansbury, Founder and President of Supply Dynamics, said, “Supply Dynamics has experienced tremendous growth over the last 10 years. We are all about connecting disparate pieces of information to enhance customer decision-making as it relates to the extended supply chain. Our rationale for developing this technology was simple: We couldn’t understand why the market price for metals was such a moving target when you can easily compare prices for just about everything else. Well now, with MetalMiner Benchmarks, you can! I truly believe that providing this additional resource to MetalMiner’s existing pricing, forecasting and benchmarking capabilities will take MetalMiner and its clients to the next level.”
At launch, MetalMiner customers will have access to 31 million price points, collected from more than 1,100 companies representing 19 industries. This data set includes more than 500 alloy grade and form combinations, as well as specific pricing relative to size, quantity and material origin. This content will be available to MetalMiner clients through its existing advisory services and via MetalMiner.com, where the public will have access to free quotes and charts of 9 popular grades of aluminum, stainless steel, nickel alloy, carbon steel and titanium.
About Supply Dynamics:
Supply Dynamics provides best-in-class technology solutions designed to address the challenges of managing sourcing, procurement and supply chain complexity in highly distributed manufacturing environments. SDX, by Supply Dynamics, is a cloud-based, multi-enterprise supply chain analytics suite. Coupled with a proprietary (blueprint to bill-of-material) data conversion process called Part Attribute Characterization, Supply Dynamics offers manufacturing companies unmatched visibility into material and process demand through all tiers of the extended supply chain — from chemical elements to engines, tractors, and even to nuclear power plants.
About Azul Partners, Inc.
Azul Partners is a digital B2B media, publishing and advisory company with 12 procurement, supply chain and commodities-focused research and advisory ventures, including Spend Matters and MetalMiner.
MetalMiner is North America’s largest metals information site, providing global perspectives on the issues, trends and trade policies that impact organizations that source and trade metals. MetalMiner provides clients with custom advisory related to industrial metal prices, forecasts and benchmarks.
Other Azul Partners brands include Healthcare Matters, Trade Financing Matters, Spend Matters NL (Netherlands), Spend Matters Mexico y Latin America, Spend Matters Almanac (free online provider directory), Spend Matters PRO, Spend Matters CPO, Public Spend Forum US & EU.
