Matt O'Toole is the Procurement Manager at Voltz HGV, a manufacturer of electric and hybrid heavy goods vehicles. A new Head of Product Development is due to start next month and is believed to be dynamic and future driven, while procurement has tended to be more traditional and transactional in nature.

The CEO has asked for Matt to work closely with the new Head of Product Development considering there is uncertainty about the developing technology. Matt wants to understand what the implications would be for the procurement and other departments before meeting the new Head of Product Development. Matt has hired Napier Consulting to advise him.

His knowledge of early procurement and supplier involvement for new product development is limited. Matt wants to know the advantages, challenges, and limitations of early procurement involvement and early supplier involvement in the new product development process.