The Wild West Became Structured Procurement
Lärande i Sverige AB is one of the country’s largest independent school operators. It was founded in 1999 and, as of July 2020, operated over 20 preschools, elementary schools, and high schools with nearly 4,000 students.
In May 2018, ERA began work on an analysis of Lärande’s costs for consumables (office supplies, printed materials, promotional products, and other consumables) to identify potential savings while maintaining or improving quality and service and securing better prices.
Lärande’s schools made purchases from a total of approximately 20 different suppliers. The costs for products to be included in the project amounted to approximately SEK 2.5 million. ERA found that the savings potential, depending on the choice of supplier, was between 25 and 36 percent per year. Lärande chose to proceed with a local supplier due to their professional approach and local presence, even though this did not result in the greatest savings. Overall, the savings amounted to approximately 30 percent.
