Who are the businesses that provide raw materials or products to other businesses?

The term that describes businesses providing raw materials or products to other businesses is suppliers. Suppliers are vital components of the supply chain, as they directly furnish the goods that other companies require for their operations or to sell to end consumers. For instance, a supplier may deliver raw materials to a manufacturing company, which then processes those materials into finished goods for sale.

Understanding the role of suppliers emphasizes their importance in ensuring the availability of products needed for various industries to function effectively. This direct relationship in providing raw inputs or products is distinct from other roles such as distributors, retailers, and wholesalers, who are involved in different parts of the product delivery process. Distributors typically act as intermediaries between suppliers and retailers, while retailers are the businesses that sell directly to consumers. Wholesalers buy in bulk from suppliers and sell in smaller quantities to retailers, but they don't directly supply to other businesses in the same way that suppliers do.