Ready for the next supply chain disruption?

Euro Grassi

13 Oct, 2022

Covid measures, war, resource and labour shortages herald the end of the globalised world as we knew it. You can’t always rely on cheaper suppliers based on other continents anymore, but you have to be able to deliver your products at the same low price. At the same time, interest rates are rising, inflation surging, and consumer confidence is falling. With knowledge and technology, you build a flexible supply chain that can handle this perfect storm.

Covid restrictions in China closing down factories, the war in Ukraine and turmoil around the globe are testing supply chains constantly. Most famous is perhaps the chip shortage that is preventing products from being sold or even sold unfinished, but the issue is much broader. Some companies interrupt entire production lines, while others are lucky if that one missing screw or chip doesn’t get in the way of the final product. Relying on one supplier is no longer enough; you have to be able to move quickly so that you avoid empty shelves of retailers and dealers. Problems in your supply chain are issues, but not being able to sell is catastrophic. So, what might you need to consider?

Are We Heading Toward the Deglobalisation of Logistics?

You have to redesign your supply chain, but there are consequences when you diversify your suppliers and start nearshoring. Pricing: Shifting the supply of components from China to Europe or the USA can easily result in a cost increase of 3-7 times. Consumers are still willing to pay higher prices. But, will they when energy bills and higher interest rates on borrowed money start to limit purchasing power?

Availability of capability: It is quite a search to find the right supplier for components that meet the quality and delivery time you seek. The question is whether you can find them closer to home at all.
Transportation: A final product with few components is easy to source. Many products quickly consist of hundreds of components, each with a specialised supplier. It usually takes years to build resilient supply chains which consist of preferred suppliers and backup suppliers.

Tech Your Way Out of Disruption

You don’t want to put all your eggs in one basket. On the other hand, you want the best and most favourably priced components as soon as possible. Flexibility is essential to building a robust supply chain consisting of reliable suppliers and backups. A global ERP platform like Dynamics 365 can help in this transition.

End-to-End Visibility

One black hole in your supply chain can lead to unfinished products. You need visibility of key delivery dates, and you need to be able to move that date if needed. How long do you need to communicate to your supplier that you need to move the delivery dates and how many records do you need to update to make everybody else within the organisation aware of these delivery day changes? Realtime end-to-end-visibility from digital data is crucial from logistics information to pricing and quality control. Therefore, companies need to transform their fragmented systems into a single platform that gives actionable information instantly about inbound and outbound processes.

5% More Efficient

Do you know what’s happening now in your warehouses all over the world? What is the impact on your distribution? Dynamics 365 is beneficial in this international context. Having a distribution company and production on different continents means you cannot rely on emails or phone calls. Data on stock levels must be shared in real-time with each other and with dealers and shops across the world. For global companies, direct insight is of huge advantage resulting in at least 5% more efficiency.

Internationally Aligned

Building a resilient, connected supply chain is not only a matter of implementing software. This is especially true for companies that operate in multiple countries, as everyone must be connected. HSO International only implements internationally. As a result, we not only know the local markets, but also the local laws and regulations. Are your business units in Sydney, Shanghai, São Paulo and Salzburg? We have a truly international team whose collective experience spans these markets and languages. Moreover, with one team, we keep everyone aligned. With no handoffs, a singular vision is implemented around the globe.

Want help getting ready for the next disruption?

Feel free to contact us

First name

Last name

E-mail

Phone optional

Company name optional

Company location

Message

By using this form you agree to the storage and processing of the data you provide, as indicated in our privacy policy. You can unsubscribe from sent messages at any time. Please review our privacy policy for more information on how to unsubscribe, our privacy practices and how we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.