The strike that threatened ports along the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts ended shortly after it began, inspiring a sigh of relief among supply chain stakeholders as we grow ever closer to the highest volume time of the year. But just as the strike dissipates, a powerful hurricane is set to land in Florida, potentially causing even more supply chain chaos.
According to the New York Federal Reserve, supply chain pressure is easing. But that doesn’t mean LSPs and BCOs can rest easy. Now more than ever, it’s essential that they be proactive in establishing technologies, visibility, and collaboration across their networks so that they’re prepared for whatever disruption comes next.
Below, we explore the latest headlines from around the supply chain and logistics space, including how stakeholders prepare for and deal with disruption. Continue reading to learn more, and contact us if you’re in the market for a supply chain orchestration platform that can help your business through whatever the supply chain throws your way.
The Short Strike Renews Calls for Supply Chain Resilience
Yes, the strike is over, but challenges persist as LSPs and BCOs shift their focus to the next major issue. One of the main objectives right now is developing the resiliency needed whenever another strike (or a similar disruption) occurs.
It’s always interesting how disruptions can affect different industries in different ways. Catering Insight, for example, looks at how hospital leaders are uniting around building resilience in their supply chains ahead of future disruptions. Those future disruptions could include labor stoppages, geo-political issues, weather events, or something else entirely. Should another labor stoppage emerge, Gartner explores specifically how strikes impact the supply chain.
The Long-Term Impact of Supply Chain Disruption
Even as supply chain disruptions end, their presence can reverberate long-term. One North Carolina town that is disproportionately important to the global solar supply chain is discovering that in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Once upon a time, non-coastal towns and cities didn’t need to worry about the impact of hurricanes and other tropical storms. Hurricane Helene is changing the rules, though, as many inland communities are recovering from significant flooding after heavy hurricane-related rains. For the solar industry, Helene could have an impact to the end of the year and beyond.
The Connection Between Supply Chain Visibility and Performance
Real-time visibility is almost universally accepted as one of the keys to overcoming supply chain disruption. In our post-pandemic world, there’s a fresh emphasis on knowing where shipments are located at any given time, when they will arrive at their destinations, and where contingencies may exist should disruptions occur.
Supply & Demand Chain Executive wrote about how visibility is the foundation for improved supply chain performance. At a time when supply chain performance can be a source of operational efficiency and competitive advantage across different industries, LSPs and BCOs without reliable visibility in place may find themselves losing market share.
Eliminating Fragmentation Through Communication and Collaboration
Supply & Demand Chain Executive also wrote about the power of connectivity, communication, and collaboration as disruptions emerge. There are so many different parties involved in any one shipment. Connectivity brings together the disparate platforms that these parties use, eliminating fragmentation, so that there’s a single source of truth. And communication and collaboration ensure that these parties can operate in lockstep and execute shared plans to keep shipments moving when disruptions occur.
Where to Manufacture Right Now
As geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China continue to deteriorate, we continue to hear about organizations seeking to diversify away from China. Many are seeking nations that offer large and inexpensive labor forces that can replicate what China has helped accomplish in the manufacturing sector — but without the geopolitical issues with Western governments.
Apple is one of the companies seeking to diversify away from China. Its growing presence in India may be a future case study of how a major American shipper moved away from China, though the transition has not been without issues. A recent factory fire in India may force Apple to revisit its operations in China. The ultimate goal is always to provide great customer experiences. Manufacturers will ultimately shift to the geographies that best support that goal.
Building ‘Rapid Responsiveness’ as a Supply Chain Discipline
Above, we note visibility, connectivity, communication, and collaboration as keys to sidestepping disruption and achieving overarching supply chain success. The bottom line of achieving those things is that they empower organizations with “rapid responsiveness” at times when they need it most.
This is where the competitive advantage of modern supply chain operations comes into play. The organizations that have modernized to the extent where they have a high level of visibility, connectivity, communication, and collaboration will be the ones that respond quickly and keep their supply chains moving forward when others may be struggling.
Get the Right Supply Chain Tech for the Modern Age
The right supply chain technology can be your hub for visibility, connectivity, communication, and collaboration. At Cargologik, we’ve built a platform that delivers those things plus more. When you choose Cargologik for supply chain orchestration, you have a powerful tool that can help with everything from bookings to document management.
Don’t let the next major supply chain disruption catch you by surprise. Contact us to learn more about how Cargologik empowers you to keep moving forward, no matter what’s happening across the global supply chain.
