How We Manage Supply Chain Peaks
Peaks in the supply chain can creep up on you, but for the most part, they are predictable. The most obvious time of year for supply chain peaks has just passed so we thought, what better time to go over how we manage supply chain peaks at Barnes?
As we all know, Christmas is a hectic time of year for most of us and this year was no different. In fact, this year we all faced extra difficulties due to the disruption caused by strikes in the weeks leading up to the festive period.
To prepare for these peaks we have a few procedures in place to make sure we can handle the rush. We’ve listed a few below that should help you to plan more effectively and beat the demand increase.
Extend Your Storage Boundaries
If finding ways to exceed the capacity of your warehouse is a common seasonal issue, that means it might be time to get inventive with the use of space in your facility. Can some products be stored outside the warehouse in another facility or building on site? Is it practical to close off some aisles and use them for packing or other processing tasks to really isolate sections so jobs don’t overlap? With a bit of forethought, it’s surprising how much you can increase available storage space.
Build Up Inventory
Something we learnt from the pandemic is that creating a stockpile of essential supplies that can see your business through several months of disruption is a really good idea in logistics and warehousing. This might mean having a store of finished goods, components, or even raw materials – whatever you might need to keep your business afloat if your supply chains are temporarily cut off or see a demand peak.
A Shift Around
Have you considered extending your standard shifts by an hour or two per day, just for the peak seasons in transport and logistics? Perhaps adding an extra day for some of your team members if you normally operate five or six days per week, or even introducing an extra shift on a daily basis? Although some workers prefer to stick to their original shifts, there will be many who wouldn’t mind picking up a few extra hours to fill up their pockets just in time for Christmas.
Create An Emergency Plan
It’s always good to have a contingency plan if things go awry, especially when it comes to supply chains which are so crucial. Your backup should consider the different ways you can move your goods should one route fail and perhaps set aside an emergency budget that can be used in case of disruptions.
These are just some of the things we do to ensure we can meet the peaks in demand. Experience is a great teacher and if nothing else the past few years have brought some great lessons our way. If you’d like to hear more insights from us here at Barnes, follow us on our Twitter and LinkedIn pages!
