Similar to long-distance love affairs, intercontinental supply chains rely on a series of logistical arrangements that make them more vulnerable to potential threats than a simple domestic affair. From transportation issues to loyalties made weaker by distance, there’s something to be said for having a partner (or partners, depending on how you swing) that is physically closer.
Such is one reality of this supply chain crisis, as printer manufacturers and other industry players are feeling the impact of complex supply chains that depend on manufacturing and components from places far from where the products end up.
One broken link in the supply chain—whether it is a factory shut down due to COVID spread, computing chips being impossible to procure, or a lack of workers available to load shipping containers at ports—means that product cannot move in the way it needs to—especially as many customers are resuming investments in print (and scan) technology.
Manufacturers are thinking more and more about ways they can localize their supply chains; this is being enabled by government investments in domestic chip manufacturing. The below infographic shows this and other ways they can handle the current supply chain predicament as well as minimize the impact of future supply challenges—building on a Key Point Blog post and associated InfoCenter Analysis piece (Handling the Supply Chain Crisis) published earlier this month.
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Want to go deeper? Subscribers to our Office and Production Advisory Services can access our recent supply chain Analysis piece in the InfoCenter. If you’re not a subscriber, just send us an email at sales@keypointintelligence.com for more info.
