Procurement/Purchasing – Purchasing personnel are in a position to consider every stage of a business’ processes, from raw materials to waste management and can aid in identifying ways of making efficiencies and opportunities to improve product quality.
Suppliers are linked with Procurement and Purchasing as it is usually the responsibility of this function to source the right suppliers to match their business requirements. Suppliers are the individuals or businesses that provide goods and services to a business and, as such, do not have much interaction with the customers directly.
Now to make a pair of trainers, you will need multiple supplies. From the material to the rubber for the soles (or you could choose a supplier to make the soles, especially for your trainers). The procurement department will need to source the right supplies from the right suppliers to meet their needs and support the success of the new product launch.