Loading organizations...
Key people at Quadrem.
Quadrem provides a global eMarketplace, offering comprehensive procurement support and digitizing purchasing processes for the mining sector. Its SaaS applications facilitate strategic sourcing, including procurement intelligence, quotes, and contract management. The platform streamlines electronic purchasing, e-invoicing, and automated payment services, connecting buyers and suppliers digitally.
Established in October 2000, Quadrem was founded by leading global mining corporations including Alcoa, Anglo American, and BHP Billiton. Recognizing the need for a unified, efficient e-procurement solution, their collective insight aimed to build a robust digital backbone for complex supply chains, addressing the mining sector's specific demands.
Quadrem serves large organizations, initially focusing on international mining, then diversifying into consumer goods, utilities, and public sectors. It empowers emerging economies by delivering accessible e-procurement technology to local suppliers. The company aims to cover the entire source-to-procure-to-pay process, enhancing efficiency and reducing costs across supply networks.
Key people at Quadrem.
Quadrem is a procurement support organization and eMarketplace launched in 2000, primarily serving the mining industry by streamlining global purchasing processes through digital platforms.[1][3] It provides end-to-end source-to-procure-to-pay solutions, including strategic sourcing tools (e.g., auctions, contract management), catalogue management, electronic invoicing, and consultancy services, initially focused on remote mining operations but later expanding to sectors like consumer goods, utilities, oil and gas, and the public sector.[1][3] Quadrem solved key challenges in supply chain efficiency for large organizations in undeveloped areas, enabling suppliers without advanced tech to participate via internet stations and portable e-procurement tech.[1][3] Acquired by Ariba in 2011 for $150 million, it reported $43.9 million in revenue and around 68-93 employees as of recent data, with strong growth in network size (e.g., 436 purchasing locations and 14,000+ suppliers by mid-2000s) and transaction volume reaching $7.2 billion in 2005.[1][2][3][7]
Quadrem was founded in October 2000 by 14 major mining and metals companies, including Alcoa and De Beers, amid the dot-com era's eMarketplace boom, to address procurement inefficiencies in the global mining sector—particularly in remote, undeveloped regions where traditional transactions relied on fax and phone.[1][3][6] Charles Jackson, who joined early as CEO around 2000 during a career pivot, led its operational base in Plano, Texas, expanding access by setting up internet stations in places like Johannesburg for local suppliers.[3] Early traction came from its focus on standardization (e.g., UNSPSC and eOTD standards) and support for emerging markets like Africa since 2005, achieving profitability, rapid network growth (136% to 30,000+ users), and billions in transacted volume by the mid-2000s.[1][3][7] The pivotal 2011 acquisition by Ariba integrated its tech into a larger procurement ecosystem.[1]
Quadrem rode the early 2000s B2B eMarketplace wave, capitalizing on dot-com trends to digitize fragmented mining supply chains—a sector slow to adopt tech due to remoteness and global dispersion.[1][3][6] Its timing aligned with rising demand for procurement automation in commodities, influencing standards like UNSPSC and enabling emerging-market inclusion (e.g., Africa), which broadened digital supply chain access.[1] Market forces like globalization, cost pressures in mining/oil/gas, and the shift to SaaS procurement favored its model, paving the way for modern platforms (competitors: Coupa, Oracle); post-acquisition, it amplified Ariba's enterprise reach, contributing to today's $40B+ digital procurement market.[1][2] Quadrem demonstrated eMarketplaces' viability in niche industries, influencing supply chain digitization and supplier diversity.
Post-2011 Ariba acquisition (now SAP Ariba), Quadrem's legacy tech endures in enterprise procurement, with its $43.9M revenue signaling sustained relevance amid rising AI-driven sourcing and blockchain for supply chains.[2] Next steps likely involve deeper integration into SAP's ecosystem, expanding analytics and automation for mining/decarbonization trends. Evolving regulations on sustainable sourcing and geopolitical supply risks will shape its path, potentially amplifying influence in critical minerals for EVs/renewables—cementing its role from 2000s pioneer to modern procurement backbone.[1][2]
