Global Procurement

For more than a century, PCL has directly procured many of the products and materials needed to build its projects. As part of this process, we have been buying granite, marble, and tile offshore for decades, but until now, the vast majority of construction products were obtained through North American suppliers. Today, with the dramatic expansion of global supply markets, PCL is at the forefront of the tremendous opportunities available by sourcing from markets worldwide, bringing increased value to our projects, and cost savings to our clients.

Proactive, Integrated Approach Helps Manage Risk

Managing risk is fundamental to the success of any construction project, and the procurement of products and materials is a key part of the construction risk matrix. As procurement activities extend further afield, new risks are introduced that require unique skills and knowledge to effectively manage.

At PCL, we have adopted a proactive, integrated approach to managing risk in our global procurement program. We have developed risk identification procedures to assist our clients in determining whether their projects are appropriate for global procurement, and risk mitigation strategies to manage the procurement activities we undertake.

Access to Global Markets Lowers Cost

Global supply markets continue to evolve at an unprecedented pace. The most competitive offshore sources for many construction products are now concentrated in China, South East Asia, and Eastern Europe - in many cases offering top quality products at a fraction of the cost of the North American equivalents. These newer markets complement our portfolio of traditional supply markets that PCL has typically accessed in the past. With new vendors being identified continuously, PCL and its clients are well positioned to benefit from a truly global marketplace.

A World of Options for Your Project

As PCL expands its worldwide supply reach, we offer an increasing selection of vendors and products. We are broadening our knowledge of supply opportunities beyond architectural products to now include fixtures, high end structural materials, and fabricated specialty items that meet our project requirements. Through the course of each procurement assignment, we are discovering new applications where PCL’s offshore procurement capabilities will benefit our projects.

As we continue to identify additional quality offshore vendors, the choice of products becomes almost limitless and cost competitiveness increases. Products previously considered rare and exotic for North American applications are now much more available and affordable.

PCL’s Global Procurement System, Specialist, and Advisors

In response to the dramatic increase in customer demand for global procurement for their projects, we have developed unique systems and tools, and have structured our organization to deal with this challenge.

PCL’s global procurement specialists use these tools to help guide our projects through their offshore sourcing activities, identifying and qualifying vendors worldwide, and sharing our experiences and knowledge throughout the PCL family of companies.

Our specialists further strengthen our global procurement capabilities by coordinating the efforts of a select group of global procurement advisors who work directly with PCL district staff on specific procurement assignments. These advisors truly are PCL’s “feet on the street” around the world, and provide the special training, work experience, and language skills essential for working effectively in their local markets.

Working closely with PCL’s project management staff and the global procurement specialist, our advisors support PCL in offshore vendor management, inspection, logistics, and other activities essential to ensuring a successful global procurement transaction.

Overall Cost Savings for Our Customers

With the help of in-house global procurement specialists, professional advisors, and state-of-the art procurement management software and procedures, PCL is able to maximize potential cost savings and mitigate the inherent risks in global supply.

Case Study: Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion

• Supply of Basalt tile from Inner Mongolia resulted in a cost savings of 25% versus the domestic option
• Using PCL’s global procurement system when dealing with a porcelain tile supplier from China resulted in an improvement to the installation schedule in excess of one month

For more information on PCL’s global procurement capabilities, please contact Scott Logan at 780-733-5459.