Yesterday, on Thursday 11th September, the Trade Interchange team and our valued customers gathered in Central London for the highly anticipated 2025 Trade Interchange User Group. The event was a resounding success, offering a full day of expert insights, product revelations, and a fascinating look at the future of supplier management. The day proved to be a powerful showcase of collaboration and innovation, with a fantastic case study presented by AAK and a forward-thinking keynote from AI expert, Professor Andy Pardoe.
AI takes centre stage
The day commenced with a compelling keynote from Professor Andy Pardoe, a leading expert in the field of artificial intelligence. His presentation on the role of AI in supplier management was both excellent and thought-provoking, highlighting how this technology can revolutionise processes and drive efficiency. Professor Pardoe delved into fascinating topics such as “the future of work” and the significant impact of “generative AI in the supply chain”. The session included an engaging and ongoing Q&A, where attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the practical applications of AI with Andy.
Following this, the excitement continued with a special session led by James Edmunds, Lead Solutions Consultant & Product Owner, and Mark Handley, Development Manager. They unveiled Trade Interchange’s innovative new AI package, demonstrating the powerful new functionality to the audience. A highlight was the demonstration of the new AI Assistant, a tool poised to transform how users interact with ARCUS® Supplier Management Software. One of the standout features highlighted was its ability to directly interrogate supplier information, eliminating the need for users to manually search for relevant data or documents. If you would like to find out more about our innovative AI Package, please click here.
Wrapping up a successful year and looking ahead
After a productive morning, the group reconvened for the Trade Interchange Wrapped session. Dale Garbutt, Enterprise Sales Manager, provided a comprehensive overview of the year’s performance, sharing impressive statistics and key achievements related to our ARCUS® Supplier Management Software. The session provided a great sense of shared success and momentum heading into next year.
AAK case study: A partnership in innovation
The final session was a deep dive into a powerful customer success story. Hilde Steinreien, AAK’s Global Procurement Excellence Director, and Viktor Johansson, AAK’s PMO & Data Analytics expert, joined Trade Interchange’s James Edmunds to present a compelling case study. They explained how our ARCUS® Strategic Sourcing Management (SSM) solution was configured and adapted to perfectly align with their internal PMO (Project Management Office) processes. This presentation offered a fantastic, real-world example of the flexibility and power of our software, and the collaborative partnership we build with our customers.
The 2025 User Group was an invaluable day of connection, learning, and forward-thinking discussion. It was fantastic to hear such positive feedback and to see our customers and partners so engaged in the future of supplier management. We're already looking forward to next year's event!