We’ve all seen those two-line messages on LinkedIn, calling out for recommendations to help source suppliers to quote for a product or service. The company is in a hurry and wants a quick response, and it seems to be that whoever comes back with the...
Too many businesses underestimate the importance of procurement, but recent events have highlighted that they do so at their peril. The disruption caused by both Brexit and Covid-19 proves just how fragile supply chains can be and how critical they are to operational and financial...
There’s nothing like a global pandemic to give you the nudge you need to reassess your business. This is particularly true of the UK manufacturing sector, which is being urged from all areas of Government and commerce to rethink their supply chains, consider onshoring, digitise...
Throughout the past few decades, manufacturing has expanded its global supply chain footprint in a race to improve profits. In the last twenty years alone, goods traded internationally have tripled to more than £8.2tn. In addition, the supply chains’ successes have enabled lean global networks...
The current pandemic has a lot to answer for in terms of supply chain disruption. Now, pretty much all of us are aware of the impact of supply chain issues and delays. Demand for PPE, bicycles, home gym equipment, sanitiser, toilet roll, flour, antibacterial cleaning wipes,...
There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has had a debilitating effect on supply chains throughout the world. The health and economic impact of the virus has been significant, hitting businesses on multiple fronts. At the same time organisations must work to protect their workers’ safety, they...
For several years, one country has been a mainstay of manufacturing supply chains throughout the world: China. UK manufacturing began its pilgrimage to China decades ago, with traditional manufacturers looking for a way to create their products in the same way, but with lower wage...
The UK manufacturing sector is continuing its recovery from the pandemic as output and new orders increased, according to the latest industry data from the IHS Markit/CIPS Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI). The data shows that output increased for the fourth consecutive month in September, despite...
SMEs in the UK manufacturing industry are being squeezed between a drop in demand and weaker supply chains, a new report says. 64% of the 289 respondents, who are engaged with the Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP), said orders had dropped due to the pandemic, with furniture,...
In this age of sustainability and Green Recovery, more OEM and Tier One businesses are fulfilling their own commitments to responsible business practices by extending them to their value chains and asking for compliance from their subsidiaries and suppliers. There are several reasons for this,...