Future-Proof Your Supply Chain: 7 Cutting-Edge Strategies for 2024 Success

Whether it is the pandemic, increased consumer demand, unprecedented weather changes leading to maritime disasters, or global port congestions, supply chains have had their fair share of disruptions. 

While these disruptions have detrimental impacts on the global supply chain and many companies were brought to the brink of devastation, the disruption also highlighted those in the supply chain that have got things right. Businesses that have proactively implemented supply chain solutions have weathered the storm much more effectively than those that have taken a reactive approach. With impending challenges still on the horizon, it’s worth exploring which processes supply chain winners are implementing today. 

Effective habits of supply chain winners

The best companies have transformed their supply chains with time, investment, and sustained top-management attention.

McKinsey

1. Flexibility in operations‍

Organisations that struggled during the pandemic were those with the inability to react to sudden, large-scale disruptions. Conversely, companies that adopted more flexibility in their approach were able to better adapt to the ever-evolving situation. How? By embracing digital solutions that result in a more resilient, adaptable supply chain. The Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are just some of the technologies providing real-time data that can be used to create more flexibility. 

2. Regionalising supply chains

Different companies had different challenges in managing their supply chains. These differences were attributed to the type of industries, and their unique challenges were due to the industries being labour intensive, asset intensive, or due to lack of local product availability. As per a McKinsey 2021 Supply Chain Survey, the healthcare industry were winners in maintaining resilience in their supply chain operations thanks to their ability to regionalise their supply chains and move production closer to end markets. The survey revealed that 60% of healthcare respondents regionalized their supply chains and 33% moved their production closer to end markets.

3. Multi-sourcing

The pandemic isn’t the only major threat to the supply chain. Over the years, natural disasters have highlighted the risk of single-source practices. The 2011 tsunami and resultant nuclear plant disaster in Japan impacted the supply of microcontrollers in the automotive industry. However, companies with robust sourcing capabilities fared better than those reliant on one supplier. There are many procurement automation software options available to help managers implement a successful multi-sourcing strategy.  

4. Collaboration

Effective supply chain leaders realize that collaboration is critical for taking supply chains performance to the next level. According to McKinsey, ‘…companies that collaborate effectively across the supply chain have enjoyed dramatic reductions in inventories and costs, together with improvements in speed, service levels, and customer satisfaction’. For effective collaboration, supply chain leaders can start by selecting partners based on capability rather than size, manage ongoing performance, and invest time and effort in relationship management. 

5. Streamlining operations

The pandemic prompted a surge in demand for consumer goods, such as household essentials, PPE, and more. This created sizeable opportunities for shipping companies in terms of their container cost profits. A Wall Street Journal article indicated the average global price to ship a 40-foot container increased more than four times between 2020 and 2021. The winners in this case were the shipping companies who managed to streamline their operations through effective schedule management, successfully meeting this surge in demand.

6. Embracing sustainability

Effective supply chains are those that have embraced sustainability across operations. Beyond the ‘green’ element of sustainability, supply chain winners are maintaining a consistent level of production no matter what global pressures arise. To achieve sustainability, supply chains need to standardise processes, perform thorough risk management, and draw on best practice from past experience. 

7. Early adoption of technology

Companies that had already embraced a digitalised supply chain have fared much better throughout the pandemic than those who’ve dragged their feet. An example of early adopter is Procter & Gamble, an American multinational consumer goods corporation, which uses digital supply chain platforms for demand planning. With traditional planning using old data that doesn’t anticipate sudden changes, data-driven technology helped them navigate changing demands before, during, and after the pandemic. Rival consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands struggled to maintain margins amid the supply chain disruption, while P&G delivered record-high sales and profits in 2021. 

Key takeaways

The importance of early adoption in technological innovation has become evident, showcasing the resilience and profitability it offers over time. Organizations embracing innovation find themselves more competitive in the supply chain landscape. Delaying adoption widens the gap and makes staying competitive progressively challenging.

Effective supply chain leaders prioritize automated solutions. Despite economic fluctuations, stepping back from digital transformations might seem tempting, yet the costs of delay will inevitably rise. Implementing proven practices ensures staying ahead and reaping the rewards of supply chain success.