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Pallet C e nt ral • July -Aug u st 2 0 25 43 The Rise Of The AI- Powered Buyer Procurement is no longer a manual or reactive task. Buyers are also adopting AI to forecast material needs, optimize inventory, and evaluate suppliers based on metrics like cost, emissions, reliability, and delivery times. Consider a national retailer using an in- house AI system to generate packaging specifications for each shipment. e system integrates store-level demand, transportation costs, and real-time inventory to create optimized orders. en, it issues dynamic purchase orders that update weekly. According to Connected, 42% of retailers have already adopted AI in procurement, with another 34% in pilot stages. For suppliers, the message is clear: the era of passive ordering is over. Today's customers are faster, sharper, and more proactive than ever. If manufacturers don't match that intelligence, they risk falling behind. New Expecta ons At Every Step Smart customers expect more, from quoting speed to full supply-chain visibility. Speed is now a baseline requirement. AI-powered procurement bots can evaluate and compare supplier quotes in seconds, factoring in price, availability, lead time, and sustainability metrics. A two-day quote delay could mean missing the deal entirely. Transparency is also nonnegotiable. Buyers want live inventory data, real-time emissions tracking, and delivery estimates—shared via APIs, portals, or integrated dashboards. If your systems can't provide this, your competitors probably can. AI Adop on In Pallet Quo ng Is Slow, But The Shi Is Beginning AI is clearly transforming quoting expectations in the manufacturing sector. Yet within the pallet industry, adoption remains limited. In a recent informal poll, the majority of respondents said they were not currently using any formal quoting tools. Most still rely on Excel spreadsheets or manual processes. However, many AN ENTIRELY NEW CLASS OF TRIM SAW MaxBoardFeet.com 434 . 525 . 2292 SOMETHING BIG IS COMING TO PALLET CUT STOCK PRODUCTION Call Us About How We Can Help You Make the Max Board Feet

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