European Procurement

Most Companies Struggle With….
CenterPoint’s Solution
Need More Reasons to Use CenterPoint?

Most Companies Struggle With….

Is your U.S.-based organization struggling to procure workplace supplies—cleaning, breakroom, and office supplies; PPE; and more—for its European offices for any or all of these reasons?

Dealing with regulatory differences – Regulations and legal requirements regarding procurement vary from country to country. Companies must also account for any rules related to foreign trade agreements or other regional policies that may affect their operations.
Navigating unfamiliar cultures – Language barriers and cultural differences can pose communication challenges and make establishing effective supplier relationships harder.
Calculating costs with foreign currencies – The U.S. dollar’s fluctuating value against the Euro and other currencies can make it difficult for companies to accurately estimate the cost of Europe office procurement.
Overcoming inefficient dealings with multiple suppliers – Coordinating and managing multiple suppliers in different countries, across different time zones, can make maintaining consistent, timely delivery of supplies a challenge.
Lacking visibility into global office supply chain spending – Even domestically, limited visibility and non-centralized reporting of spend causes procurement managers plenty of headaches: increased costs, lost potential savings opportunities, and non-compliance with policies and regulations. Working without full cross-border transparency only compounds such problems. Furthermore, with no clear understanding of spending across different regions, companies face challenges in negotiating favorable contracts and leveraging volume discounts.

CenterPoint’s Solution

CenterPoint is an industry-leading group purchase organization (GPO) and procurement adviser. We equip you to meet and move past your workplace supply procurement and management challenges—even when you have to meet those challenges for your European operations.

Work with a consolidated European procurement supplier – Managing contracts with multiple suppliers can be a daunting task. CenterPoint’s partnership with trusted, proven European suppliers gives you access to thousands of Core List products via a single global contract. You won’t even need to approach a European GPO since CenterPoint—based in the U.S. just as your company is—can ensure your offices in Europe get the supplies they need, when they need them.
Save time by leaving all the toughest logistics to us – Our international shipping solutions, tracking methods, and consolidated invoicing are in place and ready to make orders for your European office supplies quicker and easier for you. You’re left free to focus your attention exactly where it should be: optimizing your procurement processes and contributing to the continued success of your company.
Eliminate uncertainty about legal and regulatory compliance – Our suppliers’ extensive knowledge of international trade regulations and customs procedures means when you procure office supplies for your European operations through CenterPoint, you’ll rest easy knowing qualified and capable experts are handling such matters as tax compliance and import and export duties on your behalf.
Get unparalleled visibility into your European procurement spend – Our innovative, proprietary analytics give you the full visibility into your spend across regions and countries that you’ve been lacking, allowing you to make data-driven decisions and informed, real-time adjustments to your office supply procurement. This newfound clarity empowers you to identify cost-saving opportunities, pinpoint areas of inefficiency, and uncover potential areas for consolidation and optimization—all while maintaining your company’s uninterrupted global office supply chain.

Need More Reasons to Use CenterPoint?

Beyond our comprehensive approach to your European procurement of supplies, CenterPoint also gives our members:

GPO Cost Savings – By leveraging our members’ collective buying power, we ensure you’re getting the best possible prices and contract terms on the office supplies your European locations need. You’re also protected from hidden fees, unfavorable clauses, and unexpected price fluctuations. The cost savings a GPO makes possible can have a tangible impact on your overall business expenses, freeing up valuable resources to allocate toward other strategic initiatives.
Nearly 100% On-Time, As-Ordered Fulfillment – Our European procurement suppliers have an impressive international footprint, delivering supplies via their own fleet of vehicles. You won’t be left “hoping for the best” when you place an order for your European locations—you’ll be able to track the shipment until it arrives as expected.
Practical Contributions to Sustainability and Social Responsibility – Our European procurement partners have developed and implemented a sustainability methodology that puts them on track to converting to the zero-waste circular economy, and it has already resulted in an almost 20% greenhouse gas emission reduction in a decade. They also invest heavily in educating the children of developing nations. Your procurement business is helping make an impact far beyond your company.