Written by Marijn Overvest | Reviewed by Sjoerd Goedhart | Fact Checked by Ruud Emonds | Our editorial policy

The 10 Best Supply Chain Consulting Firms

We’ve already defined what a supply chain is and what a supply chain consulting firm is too. Now it’s time to talk about the best supply chain consulting firms that exist today. The reason for this is that as a procurement manager, it’s your job to know which consulting firm can help you.

If you didn’t know that beforehand, then you should consider enrolling in our Negotiation Course For Procurement Professionals so that you’ll get more valuable knowledge, like the one just recently explained.

If your company or organization has the budget, you can definitely approach any of the following supply chain consulting firms for help:

1. Maine Pointe

A global supply chain and operations consulting firm, Maine Pointe is trusted by many CEOs and private equity firms to drive compelling economic returns to their companies. The company is known for hitting its target by delivering accelerated, sustainable improvements in both EBITDA and cash in its logistics, procurement, and operations for enabling growth.

How can the company help procurement managers?

• Accelerated, sustainable improvements
• Measurable bottom-line results
• Projects are underwritten by our unique 100% Engagement Fee Guarantee = low-risk
• Cost reduction
• Improved throughput, time to market, and enhanced customer experience
• Synchronized buy-make-move-fulfill supply chain optimized to anticipate customer demand patterns through Total Value Optimization

2. Bain and Company

A known procurement and global supply chain consultancy firm, Bain and Company has been one of the industry leaders in supply chain and procurement consulting for years. They work with top executives to make better decisions and deliver the sustainable success needed by the organization.

How can the company help procurement managers?

With years of experience in working with Global 500 companies, thousands of regional and local organizations, and hundreds of nonprofit organizations, Bain and Company deliver advice to global leaders in terms of strategy, marketing, organization, operations, technology, and mergers and acquisitions.

3. Boston Consulting Group

A global management consulting firm and the world’s leading advisor on business strategy, the Boston Consulting Group partners with clients from the private, public, and non-profit sectors to identify their highest-value opportunities. They do this while addressing their most critical challenges and transforming known enterprises.

How can the company help procurement managers?

Founded in 1963, the Boston Consulting Group has helped hundreds of companies when it comes to global supply chain and procurement issues. The company does so by:

• Creating competitive advantage through unique solutions
• Building capabilities and mobilizing organizations 
• Driving sustainable impact 
• Providing unparalleled opportunities for personal growth 
• Succeeding together with passion and trust

4. Deloitte

Of course, who couldn’t forget Deloitte? A brand name under tens of thousands of dedicated professionals in independent firms throughout the world collaborate to provide consulting, financial advisory, audit, and risk management, Deloitte is a well-known leader in the global supply chain consulting firm. 

While they mostly deal with financial advisory, tax, and related services, the company’s ability to find solutions to almost any financial auditing issue is an asset when it comes to finding solutions to global supply chain issues.

How can the company help procurement managers?

Each DTTL member firm is structured following national laws, regulations, customary practice, and other factors, and may secure the provision of professional services in its territory through subsidiaries, affiliates, and other related entities. 

That means you and your organization are assured that if you do get their services, they will do their job properly.

5. EY

Another premiere global supply chain consulting firm, EY is committed to building a better working world through increased trust, sustainable growth, development of talent in all forms, and building confidence in the business.

For years, the company has helped hundreds of companies with global supply chain management, procurement consulting, and other related services. 

How can the company help procurement managers?

The company is committed to building a better working world through its own actions. Therefore, they do so by engaging with organizations with the same mindset. The company also has a strong sense of obligation to serve a number of different stakeholders who count on EY to deliver quality and excellence in what they do.

6. GEP

GEP helps global enterprises and businesses become more agile, resilient, competitive, and profitable, for them to operate effectively through its transformative supply chain solutions.

Its cloud-native software and digital business platforms consistently win awards and recognition from research firms, media outlets, and industry analysts. 

How can the company help procurement managers?

GEP helps companies to become agile and resilient by delivering transformative supply chain solutions. Additionally, the firm provides consulting in procurement transformation, strategic management, supply chain risk management, data management, and logistics management that will help companies streamline their processes.

7. McKinsey & Company

A global management consulting firm that is a trusted advisor to the world’s leading businesses, governments, and institutions. McKinsey & Company works with leading organizations across the private, public, and social sectors. 

The scope and scale of McKinsey & Company allows them to address problems that no consulting firm has ever faced before. It brings out the capabilities of its clients to fully participate and lead the ongoing development. 

How can the company help procurement managers?

The firm guides companies in creating a streamlined next-generation operating model. By designing efficient processes that integrate source-to-pay, the firm helps companies to reduce the leakage of their data and to sustain their overall performance to attain future needs.

8. Nextcontinent

Nextcontinent are independent consulting firms working together and sharing the trust they gained from their clients. Its key assets are collaboration, empowerment, human, and sustainability. 

How can the company help procurement managers?

Nextcontinent helps procurement managers to collaborate with its wide network of professionals that will help them to transform their processes in procurement effectively.

9. Cordence Worldwide

Cordence Worldwide is a major global management consulting partnership that is made up of independent member firms.  Each firm is a leader in the regions it serves. Through its maintained independence, each member firm maintained focused accountability to its clients. 

How can the company help procurement managers?

Cordence Worldwide helps its clients all over the world to achieve remarkable and sustainable results in their procurement process. It provides a wide range of subject matter expertise and management consulting services to its clients in various sectors. Thus, it enables them to give the best consulting services to its clients.

10. Avalon Consulting

Avalon Consulting is one of India’s leading consulting firms with 28 years of excellence in the field of strategy and management consulting. It serves clients across India, China, the South East Asia, and the Middle East. 

The heart of Avalon’s work is customer-centricity, collaboration, deep expertise, and implementable solutions. 

How can the company help procurement managers?

Avalon Consulting helps boost the performance of companies by supporting their management with the tools that they need to streamline their procurement processes. The firm works side by side with its clients to assess and check the scope for improvement, identify key aspects to reduce costs, and draw ambitious action plans that are practical. 

The Supply Chain Consulting Firm Defined

If we’re going to talk about supply chain consulting firms, then we need to define what a supply chain is.

To put it promptly, the supply chain is a company or organization’s source of supplies. It is called a supply chain because the source doesn’t have to come from one vendor only; it could be a whole network of vendors with whom the company has already made deals.

Sometimes, these vendors have an obligation to supply the organization with skills or products because they are under a contract. The supply chain is an integral part of the procurement process because where else are you going to get your supplies if the company needs them?

Since we’ve already established what the supply chain is, it’s now easy to distinguish what a supply chain consulting firm is. These companies are the lifeblood of an organization that needs a steady source of supplies.

If the company can’t find a source of the skill or material needed, it is up to the supply chain consulting firm to find out where they can get the supplies needed. Most supply chain consulting firms can help companies if they don’t have the time or the capabilities themselves. These could be assignments around supply chain optimization, strategic sourcing, or technology implementation

During my time as a procurement manager, I have worked with supply chain consulting firms on several occasions. In each instance, these were issues where we lacked sufficient expertise ourselves. In my opinion, there is a significant difference between outsourcing tasks, hiring individuals to advance operations, or engaging expertise to further progress a major project within an organization. Supply chain consulting firms excel in the latter. Issues they have assisted me with include the procurement of a new warehouse or the reconfiguration of an existing warehouse. The way they approach these tasks and the expertise they bring are invaluable for such projects.

Sounds simple enough, right? If you need more information on the supply chain, we have another article on this website that talks about the entire process.

Conclusion

Supply chain consulting firms are companies that provide services to keep steady and maintain the source of goods and supplies.

Their services include improving supply chain flows and procurement processes, reducing costs, providing a synchronized buy-make-move-fulfill supply chain, delivering advice and tips, giving opportunities for business growth, and so much more.

Moreover, many huge companies rely on supply chain consulting firms to streamline their business processes and minimize the consequences of risks brought by the intricacies of their supply chains. Thus, many small organizations also follow suit.