Material management deals with everything revolving around ‘materials’ in an organisation such as planning, purchasing, procurement, handling, transportation, inspection and storage of materials that are conducive to that particular organisation’s needs.
Ideally, material managers find employment at manufacturing organisations, where materials account for nearly 60% of total costs. However, other major areas where material managers can find employment are in the automobile industry, railways, FMCG, or in the electronics industry. You can work for companies like Ford or Maruti, where you will be responsible for procedure of ensuring quality of materials used in the manufacturing of a car. A material manager is also responsible for undertaking cost cutting measures, handle stocks of spare parts, and the disposal of scrap.
“Material managers are the powerhouse of a company. For a big company, they may be purchasing materials worth crores of rupees”, says S. Ravichandran, Purchase manager at Daurala Sugar Works. Any failure or fault on the material managers’ part in a manufacturing company could slow down and disrupt the entire production process. As companies make hefty investments in materials, it is important to have a well-rounded professional who is efficient in the process, with sharp communication and negotiation skills.
In order to become a material manager, you need to have a degree in the field. The minimum qualification you would need is a 10 + 2, followed by which you can pursue a three-year course at a number of institutes, or even a post-graduate diploma with any specialisation. However, most companies prefer an engineering graduate with a Diploma in this field due to the technical aspect involved in material management. You can also pursue an MBA in operations or material management which could fetch you a hefty starting salary.
Top colleges in India –
- Indian Institute of Material Management, Mumbai
- Balaji Institute of Management Studies, Pune (distance learning)
- The Institute of Technical Education, Jamshedpur
- Indian Institute of Professional Training, Lucknow
Top colleges Abroad –
- New York Institute of Technology, USA
- University of Chester, UK
- Management Development Institute of Singapore, Singapore
- University of Technology, Sydney
