@Risk

Some economic indicators say we’re in a rebound. Others suggest the recovery has reached a plateau. Based on the latest quarterly results from the MFGWatch survey, I’d say only one thing is certain: there’s still quite a remarkable level of instability out there, and this is no time to ease up on your strategies for supplier risk management.

For example, consider this finding:

Over half (51 percent) of North American manufacturers participating in the MFGWatch survey said they’ve experienced a significant supply chain disruption in the past three months –that’s up from 44 percent in the previous quarter, and marks the fourth straight quarter that more than one-third of survey participants have suffered a disruption.

In addition, for the fourth straight quarter, over one-third of small and medium-sized manufacturers (42 percent) said they’ve received inquiries or work from companies suffering from supply chain disruptions.

The survey results also show that large manufacturers continue to express optimism, but it seems that unfortunately, all that optimism is failing to manifest itself. For instance: (more…)

For the second straight quarter, more than one-third of North American manufacturers polled in MFG.com’s latest MFGWatch survey say they’ve experienced a significant supply chain disruption in the past three months.

The survey — which drew responses from 334 manufacturers of parts and services, purchasing professionals and engineers –was conducted in early January 2010.

Specifically, 35 percent of purchasing professionals responding to the survey said they had experienced a significant supply chain disruption and had to seek alternative sources to recover. Likewise, 34 percent of supply-side manufacturers reported that they had received queries from buyers experiencing supply chain disruptions within the past quarter.

In addition, the new MFGWatch survey reveals that expectations for excess capacity, employment growth and supplier reductions expressed by poll respondents a few months ago have not fully materialized. (more…)

Results of a new MFG.com survey conducted last month reveal that supply chain disruption and supplier stability continue to be significant concerns for many North American manufacturers.

The two-part MFGWatch survey drew responses from 408 providers of manufacturing parts and services (the supply-side) and from 197 purchasing professionals from original equipment manufacturers (the buy-side).

When asked if they or their customers had experienced a significant supply chain disruption in the past three months, 38 percent of both buy-side and supply-side manufactures indicated that they had.

(more…)