Problems in the global supply chain have made it difficult for many manufacturers to get the adhesive materials and components they need. This has led to delays in production and product rollouts for some, and experts predict these problems will continue for the foreseeable future. So, manufacturers need to find ways to overcome these types of challenges. While you can’t control the supply chain, you can design products and organize your production processes and partnerships to avoid the worst impacts of supply chain disruption. Here are a few things to consider that can help future-proof your operation.
Designing for flexibility
The design and materials used to create your products will ultimately dictate how vulnerable you are to supply chain disruption. The more difficult the materials are to source, the harder it may be to maintain production timelines. However, during the current market disruption, commodity materials have been particularly difficult to come by. So, it’s not about choosing one type of material over another.
In the end, best practice is to design products with material flexibility, so you have redundancy in your material choices. At The Tape Lab, we always design adhesive solutions with tolerance in mind so that we can substitute materials if there are issues in the supply chain. If you can anticipate supply chain problems early on and make materials flexibility a tenet of your product development methodology, you will be better positioned to withstand widespread disruption.
The power of a one-stop shop
Limiting the number of partners involved in designing and producing your products can also help mitigate supply chain woes. By working with a single or limited set of partners, you create fewer links in your own production chain and limit opportunities for friction. Fewer handoffs of products and materials will also limit the cost and impact of transportation and logistics.
Consider a tape converter like The Tape Lab that offers a wide range of services to create a one-stop shop for adhesive-converting needs. We can formulate solutions, test and validate materials selections, convert adhesive materials and even package your products all under one roof. This helps our partners reach project milestones faster and simplifies the entire production process. To beat supply chain problems, consider working with partners that can offer the comprehensive services needed to streamline product development and commercial production.
Evaluating your partners’ partners
Speaking of partnerships, you should also consider who your partners work with, particularly when it comes to sourcing materials. Manufacturers need a converting partner that can source materials from a variety of suppliers while leaning on partnerships with trusted, reliable brands. This will give your operation greater flexibility when disruption hits.
For example, The Tape Lab works with Preferred 3M Converters, leveraging a deep relationship with one of the industry’s leading suppliers to source premium materials for our partners. But we also work with smaller tape, film and foam OEMs to give us added flexibility so we can mitigate supply issues. This combination of suppliers allows us to reliably source the materials our partners need and find alternative solutions should problems arise. In evaluating your current partnerships, make sure any third party you rely on to source raw materials has a deep bench of suppliers so you can avoid issues and keep production on schedule.
Building for the future
If the experts are correct, the global supply chain may not be back to “normal” for several years. Therefore, manufacturers need to think about disruption not in terms of solving an acute, short-term problem, but how you can build your organization to withstand this kind of volatility. Flexible design, materials selection and strong manufacturing partnerships can help alleviate many of the worst impacts of supply chain disruption. By prioritizing flexibility and redundancy during design and production, and by working with partners that offer a complete suite of services, you can create a manufacturing operation capable of outlasting any storm.
Need assistance on a project? Contact The Tape Lab and see how our tape converting solutions can help streamline product development and production for your organization.