POSTED ON 5/5/2020 – COVID-19 has been an unwelcome game changer. The global pandemic will require us to alter just about every aspect of our lives – both at home and at work. And while it may seem counterintuitive to think about a silver lining amidst this current devastating situation, there is one, according to Mazak Corporation Vice President of Sales and Marketing Chuck Birkle. He says now’s the perfect time, when manufacturing pressures aren’t as demanding, for job shops to prepare for the eventual recovery.
“These are horrible times,” Birkle said. “Companies are seeing reduced levels of business activity and supply chain disruptions. But shops large and small are – and should be – using this quieter period to catch their breath, reflect on their business operations and identify opportunities to improve and take steps to emerge stronger than before.”
Though no two crises are the same, there’s always one constant: Things do come back, but they’re never the same. Having navigated the Y2K, 9/11 and the Great Recession crises, Birkle maintains successful shops adapt to new normals and understand there’s no such thing as post-crisis business-as-usual. He also adds that shops would do well to take stock now in the following areas:
Identifying alternative suppliers closer to home
At the very least, COVID-19 has exposed vulnerabilities in how companies source raw materials and finished products from around the world. The crisis should cause shops large and small to re-think and transform their supply chain models, look beyond cost as most OEMs are already doing and mitigate future risk by finding suppliers closer to home.