DEF, Inc. is a medium-sized manufacturer in the precious metals industry. Continued price increases in precious metals have put a strain on the financial resources of suppliers, and while some have closed their businesses, others have converted to lower cost metals. DEF's supply manager is concerned not only about the evaporation of the specialty supply base but also that marketing efforts into new online markets are providing new growth and renewed demand for long-established product lines. The supply manager determines that although little precious raw material Is used internally in the organization, the combined volumes from component manufacturers are large and growing.
Which of the following should the supply manager employ to gain value under these conditions?