If you are dependent on any region, non-friendly country, customer, supplier, material, or anything noteworthy to your success, you must diversify. Although this concept has always been true, the pandemic highlighted the critical importance. Some companies simply lost their source of supply overnight and have not recovered if not diversified.
According to UPS's CEO, UPS’ network flexibility gave it an edge over FedEx in landing a deal with the U.S. Postal Service. Instead of following a hub-and-spoke model to service the USPS, UPS can use its regional gateways to support the local and regional requirements of the USPS customers.
According to The California Policy Center, 237 companies have left California since 2005. Most companies cited the expanding regulatory and taxation environment.
The aerospace supply chain has been struggling to recover since the pandemic. The industry has been plagued with shortages, labor issues, and supply chain issues. According to McKinsey, demand was back to 97% of pre-pandemic levels as of December 2023.
California's minimum wage went up to $20/hr. for fast food restaurants with at least 60 locations nationwide that do not make bread. This law is causing widespread unintended consequences. For example, Fosters Freeze in Lemoore closed suddenly after the wage hike. Mod 5 Pizza is closing five locations.
Horribly, a container ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, and much of the bridge collapsed. From a supply chain point of view, it has caused significant near-term impacts and extended disruptions in the region.
Manufacturers wish they left supply chain shortages behind after the pandemic, but they remain top of mind. Concerns remain. According to KPMG, “71% of global companies highlight raw material costs as their number one supply chain threat for 2023.”
The supply chain has calmed down since the height of the pandemic; however, smart manufacturers are thinking ahead to changing conditions. Geopolitical risks are at an all-time high.
Manufacturing promotes safety and security and mitigates risk. Controlling your supply chain and mitigating geopolitical risk can become paramount overnight as geopolitical events occur, natural disasters emerge, and supply chain challenges arise (strikes, disruptions, shortages).
In the last month, we've participated in at least six economic forecast presentations or discussions with experts (economic, banking, investment, manufacturing). Although they each had nuances, common themes emerged. Adding our expertise into the mix, we see volatility on the horizon.
