Packaging equipment manufacturer Bobst Group (Lausanne / Switzerland; www.bobstgroup.com) has reduced the prices of over 10,000 of its spare parts and consumable items. The average price reduction is 23%, but some reductions are as high as 40%. The parts reduced include items such as belts, chains, clutches, brakes, motors, bearings, drives and electrical parts for the Bobst ranges of die cutting, flexo printing, folding/glueing and hot foil stamping equipment.

Bobst says it is able to reduce prices because of a new bulk-buying policy with its suppliers. Buying thousands of components rather than dozens or hundreds means Bobst is paying less and these savings are being passed on to its customers. Internal processes have also been streamlined to save costs. In addition, customers are benefiting from a new common inventory management system for spare parts and consumables that is being implemented at a number of Bobst locations. The system highlights which critical parts need to be kept in stock to serve the installed base in specific countries so that they are available locally, reducing both lead times and delivery costs.