How to overcome supply chain issues in your plant

Although the manufacturing industry has been focused on regaining pre-pandemic performance, progress has been reportedly blighted by supply chain issues stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, Brexit and skills shortages. The disruption is currently affecting businesses across the UK, meaning that many plants are likely to be undergoing challenges.

We know that supply chain disruptions are the bane of every manufacturer’s life. Without the supplies you need, it becomes impossible to meet your output targets, slowing production timeframes and leaving you unable to serve your customers.

While the supply issues in the UK may be temporary, they run a real risk to businesses’ capabilities and capacities, especially heading into the busy end-of-year period. If you are facing these obstacles, you may be wondering what else you can do to continue to production.

In this guide, we have listed our top tips for overcoming supply chain interruption, enabling you to maintain your operations as smoothly as possible and making the most of any unavoidable downtime.

• Review your suppliers
• Utilise smart solutions
• Introduce data monitoring
• Focus on quality
• Communicate with staff and suppliers
• Use downtime wisely

1. Review your suppliers

For a robust supply chain, you need to ensure that every component is strong. This means partnering with reliable suppliers who offer a competitive price.

However, with shortages rife, many manufacturers may need to re-examine their supply chains. Although many suppliers share the same problems, some will get their materials from different sources, meaning they may have more readily available stock. By shopping around and having conversations with other providers, you can determine which have the supplies you need and create contracts accordingly.

It’s worth noting that this will also apply to the tools and equipment you need for your plant, including machinery. Shortages of specific parts are currently impacting this sector, leaving many people facing long lead times for equipment and spares, which can halt new projects or improvement/growth plans.

Once again, it’s essential to look around different providers in this scenario. Some manufacturers, like Yamato, have the machines and spare parts you need in stock already, allowing you to get the tools you need without the risk of supply chain disruption.

2. Utilise smart solutions

When you have limited access to supplies, it’s essential to make sure that what you do have counts. This means ensuring that your processes are as efficient as possible which will reduce product giveaway and waste, leaving you with as much high-quality output from your raw materials as possible.

To achieve this, you need to ensure that every part of your production line is fully compatible with your materials. Machine manufacturers should be able to tell you what products will suit your line best, including those with less product giveaway or advanced accuracy. By finding products that create an optimal production environment, you can ensure fewer issues that lead to waste and get the most from your materials.

Another factor to consider here is product inspection, which will further drive quality and ensure your products are fit for your customers. Implementing systems like checkweighers, x-ray systems and metal detectors, depending on the contamination your materials are susceptible to, can enable you to detect a broader range of issues in your output. This will drastically reduce the risk of waste, product recalls and having to re-run lines – all of which can lead to supply wastage.

3. Introduce data monitoring

Combined with the intelligent solutions you embed in your plant, data monitoring will further optimise your production lines and maximise your supplies.

Introducing data collection and analysis into your plant assists in tracking real-time performance, so you are quickly alerted to errors or instances where production is not happening as it should. This could include situations that would lead to waste.

By being aware of – and able to swiftly rectify – issues in your plant, you can ensure that production is happening as efficiently as possible, reducing product giveaway and driving quality. Over time, this will enable you to create an environment of quality assurance, bringing long-term benefits to your plant that extend past your supply chain problems.

Data monitoring can be incorporated easily into your production, provided you have the right software. Yamato Stats was designed to support manufacturers in understanding their performance better through accurate tracking across lines – giving you an easy user-friendly option to improve efficiency.

4. Focus on quality

Due to the large-scale impact of supply chain disruption, many manufacturers will be going through the same struggles. While there is little that plants can do to improve global supply, you can take measures to mitigate the repercussions felt by your business – by emphasising quality.

By focusing on quality, you can continue to offer outstanding output even in the face of supply shortages. Quality will always win, by giving the best possible experience to customers. Even if customers have to wait longer due to disruption or you need to utilise alternative materials, their expectations will still be met through a high-quality product. It will also prevent you from having to deal with more problems stemming from sub-par output.

Many of the recommendations already listed in this guide will fuel quality, including using smart solutions, production inspection protocol, and creating an optimal line. Most crucially, you should set a culture that pushes quality across your processes, starting from the materials you use to the end output you create.

This will enable you to continue to build your reputation as a credible processor while empowering sales, even in this tricky time.

5. Communicate with staff and suppliers

When negotiating issues in supply, it’s vital to keep the lines of communication open.

First, you must talk with your chosen suppliers to determine the extent of the shortages they face, including when they expect shipments to be delivered to you. By understanding these timeframes, you can adapt your production schedule accordingly so that you’re ready to go as soon as you get the materials you need.

Next, you need to communicate with your staff so that they know what their priorities need to be. For example, if a specific line is facing shortages that mean it cannot run, you may need them to direct their attention to those that can progress.

This will ensure everyone is on the same page and enable you to focus on the areas where you can be productive rather than waste excessive time waiting for supply chain disruption to ease. 

6. Use downtime wisely

If you do not have all the resources you need to operate, and there are no options for you to overcome the disruption, you will likely end up facing downtime. However, downtime doesn’t always have to be bad if you use the time wisely.

Quieter periods are an opportunity to maintain and optimise your production lines that may get neglected in peak times. This includes machinery maintenance to make sure it is running at optimal conditions and undertaking any necessary fixes or deep cleaning your plant to remove build-up and meet hygiene standards. You might also choose to use the time for staff training or strategising.

By being productive in alternative ways during downtime – even if you cannot meet your typical output levels – you can improve in-plant conditions. When you do get the supplies you need to operate, you will enjoy more efficient processes and higher quality output as a result.

There are also less likely to be any issues that slow you down further, with the steps taken today boosting your production conditions in the future.

In summary

With coronavirus restrictions finally eased and the busy festive season upon us, we understand that many manufacturers will be eager to operate at high levels. Supply chain issues across the country threaten to compromise this, which has proven problematic for the industry.

With no precise end date in sight for when supply chains will recover, plants must do what they can in the interim to be productive and overcome the implications. This means continuing to strive forward while making the most of your available resources.

By creating optimal conditions in your business through intelligent machinery and a culture of quality, you can ensure the materials and supplies you have are used to produce outstanding products that fulfils customer needs.

It will put you in a strong position once supply issues have eased, enabling you to process lines quickly and efficiently with minimal risks.

Our aim at Yamato is to help manufacturers overcome the obstacles they face. We have a range of intelligent solutions, tailored to suit every kind of production line, which can support you in fuelling quality and improving productivity. This includes machines designed to minimise product giveaway and get you the most from your supplies.

Get in touch today to find out how we can help your plant.