Anticipating Future Supply Chain Challenges

5 minute read

In my last note, I shared my thoughts on the uniquely unpredictable times in which we find ourselves, as well as the importance of connection and community in strengthening our resilience during this global challenge.

Over the past three weeks, at Nulogy we have been reaching out to customers to learn more about the challenges they face, and offering our support wherever we can. Suppliers such as logistics service providers, contract packagers, and contract manufacturers are at the forefront of delivering personal goods all around the world, and thus they are witnessing the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic firsthand. 

This crisis has impacted every region, demographic, and industry in the world. It is unique in its reach, consequences, and pervasiveness. It is natural, even expected, to be uncomfortable and unfamiliar in enacting solutions to the challenges it presents.

For example, external supply chain suppliers aren’t just managing the surges in demand for goods such as hand sanitizer, food, and personal care products—they’re also investing immense amounts of time and resources into ensuring the well-being of their employees and enforcing the proper sanitation and cleanliness of their facilities. Despite the disruptions in productivity that this may cause, it is becoming increasingly evident that for supply chain, it is the new normal. Before the pandemic, line productivity and cost optimization were key success drivers in making, packaging, customizing and distributing consumer products. In these times, employee health and safety may well be the new standard for reliable, trustworthy supply chain partners. 

Once we weather this storm—and we will—new challenges will arise. I believe it’s important, difficult as it may be right now, to prepare ourselves for the post-pandemic world. How will our supply chain adapt from COVID-19? How do we strengthen ourselves as businesses such that we are more resilient to future seismic shifts? Our current situation is a visceral reminder that new strategies must be enacted to build safeguards that turn sinkholes into speed bumps, and I believe digitization and automation will be integral to globally mitigate risk. 

I empathize with our supply chain partners, who have great problems to solve and responsibilities to bear. It is not, however, their problems alone to solve—at Nulogy we have a part to play in bringing our supply chain community together, to solve problems together. It is important for us to understand that as a community we possess the tools to adapt to the new reality that includes social distancing, remote work and even more agility to overcome the challenges facing our supply chain today. 

I hope in the coming weeks to share stories of innovation and success of how our community is overcoming challenges brought about by COVID-19. We have the tools to overcome and succeed. We’re all in this together!