Leaders of Contractors 2000 have mused about a group- buying function ever since they were formed in 1992. They recently took a giant step toward achieving it with the hiring of a full-time staff “Buying Group Manager.” He is Kevin Krueger, who had a purchasing background in the beauty and hygiene products industry. His job will be to seek deals and negotiate with vendors, and coordinate the details of group purchasing by the membership.
This is big news for C-2000 members, and a message for the industry-at-large. It points to an industry in transition from an era of onesy-twosy trade purchasing to a volume-driven business in which independent contractors may end up at a significant disadvantage unless they seek purchasing affiliations of one sort or another.