Manufacturers: How to bullet-proof your supply chain post pandemic

Want to bullet-proof your supply chain post-pandemic?

These are the six questions SME manufacturers must ask themselves.

Life has always been unpredictable, but it seems to be getting more so. If it’s not supply chain challenges triggered by a global pandemic, recession or trade dispute, then it’s political upheaval or social instability. Nowhere seems to be immune. In troubling times such as these, SME manufacturers must protect their operations by making supply chains as strong as possible. Electronic data interchange (EDI) can deliver real-time visibility across supply chains improving both resilience and agility. But how does EDI fit into SME manufacturers’ wider Covid-19 response? Here are six questions inspired by our latest white paper all SME manufacturers must ask themselves.

Have you given your manufacturing supply chain a Covid-19 health check?

Manufacturing SMEs have just suffered one of the biggest shocks ever. The impact on your business may not be pretty, but it would be a big mistake to look away.

Our new report shows how robust EDI software will automatically do all the data-gathering and formatting for you. You simply pull out whatever data you need, whenever you need it, safe in the knowledge it’s accurate. This means you always have sight of orders, shipments, invoices and payments. This is true even if you’re in a supply network with hundreds of partners, each with different data processes.

Is it time to ‘re-shore’ your manufacturing supply chains?

Pandemic supply chain challenges have shown us just how vulnerable global value chains can be during times of crisis. Covid-19 has led politicians in developed countries to question how manufacturers source the materials they need for production.

For example, the French finance minister recently suggested EU manufacturers should source materials closer to home to increase resilience.

This ‘re-shoring’ of supply chains isn’t always possible, but there are still valuable lessons to be learned. SME manufacturers should audit their supply chains and make adjustments if they are too dependent on specific regions or partners.

Does all this sound a little too ambitious? Just imagine if these regions or partners were unable to trade due to a disaster or dispute. What would the effect be on your business? Could you still operate as effectively?

If you can successfully grow your supply and distribution network, you make yourself more resilient. But this means more admin, more paperwork and more headaches. Each of your trading partners is likely to use a different documentation process. This means your data has to be translated before it can be shared, eating up precious time and resource.

With EDI paper-to-digital solutions, this is all done for you. You don’t need to go ‘under the bonnet’ to co-ordinate the requirements of your supply or distribution network. Your EDI solution will already have done the translation work that ensures systems worldwide can speak to each other.

Get more information about EDI re-shoring here

How quickly can you bulk up lean supply chains?

Transalis has made great developments in EDI technology in recent years. It’s critical to your company’s profitability that you’re enjoying as many of these benefits as possible. Now is the time to have a frank discussion with your supplier to ensure you’re getting a market-leading cloud-based solution as well as maximum bang for your buck.

For example, are you still paying data transmission costs that your supplier is doing nothing, or very little, to justify? Ask your EDI supplier if data transmission is included as part of a fixed-fee service. Then you can be certain of where you stand on cost at all times. Demand a clear pricing model reflecting exactly the level of help you need and with no hidden extras or upfront fees.

Get more insights designed to strengthen your SME manufacturing supply chains.

The global pandemic has triggered seismic shocks that have shaken global manufacturing. These shocks have made SME manufacturers question whether practices such as off-shoring and lean operating models are still effective. To discover more insights designed to strengthen your manufacturing supply chains, download the latest Transalis white paper now: After Covid: The 7 Deadly Supply Chain Challenges