Preparation is key - Overcoming supply chain delays and materials shortages

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Victoria Brocklesby

No one predicted that the pandemic would have such a long-lasting impact on society. Within days, the world entered strict lockdowns, leaving everyone feeling uncertain about what it would mean for them personally, and their businesses. Indeed, many are still navigating their way through the challenges forced upon them, as the long-term effects on production and supply chains within the manufacturing industry continue to come to light.

Still today, logistics disruptions, as well as delays in materials and a lack of labour, are forcing manufacturers to make difficult decisions that they would never have considered pre-pandemic. At Origin, we are in a fortunate position where we can be nimble and innovate quickly, ensuring that our network of Partners always receive their orders on time, in full. For others, there is no silver bullet. What works for one business may not work for another.

However, at Origin, we were able to futureproof the business and actually grow during the height of the pandemic. I put this down to six key strategies.

1.     Strengthening Supplier Relationships

It was important that we maintained existing supplier relationships, whilst also establishing new strategic collaborations. In many cases, we are now the ‘preferred client’ with these new suppliers due to how much we ordered throughout the pandemic. This means we are offered first refusal on the materials and parts we need. Forging and nurturing these key connections has been instrumental to us overcoming supply shortages as we could source materials in short supply, such as polyamide which is essential to our manufacturing process.

2.     Investment

In times of economic downturn, it might seem totally counterintuitive to spend money, but the significant investments we have made over the last two years are some of the best decisions the business has ever made. We invested heavily in a new 55,000ft2 warehouse facility, along with £11m worth of stock to fill it. It was clear that, if we weren’t proactive with our preparations, we could be impacted by the shortages beginning to affect the day-to-day operations of so many other businesses. Our Partners were relying on us too heavily for us to allow that to happen.

3.     Control

It became very clear to us that we had to take control wherever we could, from sourcing and design, to manufacturing and delivery. So, we brought as many external processes in-house as we could. We are so glad we did. It has helped to keep us in control over the last two years as our reliance on other businesses, who were managing their own challenges, was dramatically reduced.

4.     Product Design

Interest in our doors and windows has continued to rise over the last two years. When restrictions were first eased, all of the delayed orders began to come in at once. Housebuilders and contractors were attempting to catch up with their pre-pandemic projects, while consumers were looking for change, having spent such a prolonged amount of time in their homes. This unexpected level of demand left some manufacturers unable to cope. But for us, it led to an exciting surge in productivity that we are still experiencing today. To ensure we weren’t caught out by materials shortages, we redesigned some elements of our products to design out the materials which were hardest to source.

5.     Mentality

As a company, Origin has always been devoted to pushing the boundaries of what is possible, innovating in every way that we can. From our product design and R&D teams, right through to sourcing, manufacturing, and delivery, this mentality of innovation is at the core of the business. This drive to try to be better and do better hasn’t dwindled during the pandemic. Having already put procedures and systems in place to prepare and handle Brexit, we were well-prepared for the pandemic, despite how unexpected it was. Being able to adapt has strengthened our position within the market, showing existing and future Partners that we are willing to go the extra mile to stay ahead and provide for our network.

6.     Simplicity is Key

At the heart of every decision is our desire to keep our approach as simple as possible. We streamlined operations wherever we could, meaning there were fewer moving parts to delay processes, all of which we achieved without downsizing at all.

Nothing is guaranteed, that is what is clear from this experience. Unexpected changes could be around the corner and all you can do is prepare, ensuring that the right processes are in place to minimise the effects of any challenge. If this is achieved, your business will be as ready as it can be for whatever the future brings.

For more information about Origin, please visit https://origin-global.com/.