Highly focused visibility into the global supply chain empowers teams to optimize decision-making , with the response to Covid-19 serving as an example of the value of supply chain transparency . Our system , the Flex Pulse , has helped our team quickly size and scope supply shortfalls and identified regional factory shutdowns to minimize disruptions to our clients .
With the right tools and the experience of supply chain professionals , datadriven and informed decisions that took into account the downstream effect of shortages and plant closures could be made . It ’ s not an understatement to say that transparency with tier-1 suppliers was vital in helping clients weather an unprecedented year of disruption and remain competitive .
Aligning through open communication
Supply chain transparency is often challenging to achieve for organizational reasons rather than technical ones . Many companies grow through acquisitions and must coordinate their operations and systems to create visibility for the supply chain team . In addition , good communication is key to avoiding misalignments and misunderstandings which can manifest into significant issues and disruptions if unattended . Increasing transparency and visibility provides all parties with the necessary information to collaborate and act with purpose . By sharing accurate and real-time information , including tracking and inventory levels at various locations , you can build trust in the supply chain operation . Moreover , partnerships built on trust enable companies to better empathize with their counterparts by operating at more than just a basic transactional level .
Building a trusted supply chain
As new technologies emerge and the business and economic landscape evolves , the opportunity to build agility and reliability into supply chains has become a necessity . There ’ s a finite number of competitors , materials , and demand within every product category , from consumer electronics to automobiles . Deep visibility into your supply chain gives you insights that help you identify risks and opportunities to create realistic manufacturing and delivery timelines for businesses .
Complete transparency is nearly impossible , but that shouldn ’ t dissuade supply chain professionals from striving to improve . The ability to gain a comprehensive and real-time understanding of component inventory , pricing , and location , is critical to achieve a globally distributed supply chain . Once that information is captured , having a system in place to share actionable data with stakeholders and partners is the key to long-term resiliency , business continuity and trust . ■
Lynn Torrel www . flex . com
Lynn Torrel is Chief Procurement & Supply Chain Officer at Flex . A pioneer in modern product design , advanced manufacturing , supply chain and after-market services Flex is an international organization trusted by a diverse customer base to build products that make the world a better place - drawing on the expertise of a global workforce of 160,000 people spanning 30 countries .
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