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Manufacturers continue to experience high levels of supply chain risk according to MFGWatch survey |
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 For the second straight quarter,
more than one-third of North American manufacturers responding to
MFG.com’s MFGWatch survey say they’ve experienced a significant supply
chain disruption in the past three months.
For
the second straight quarter, more than one-third of North American
manufacturers responding to MFG.com’s MFGWatch survey say they’ve
experienced a significant supply chain disruption in the past three
months. Also,
expectations for excess capacity and employment growth expressed last
quarter did not fully materialize. In October 2009, 62 percent
responded that they expected to maintain the capacity of their plants
in the coming quarter – but only 34 percent said they had in the most
recent survey. As for employment, 13 percent of manufacturers stated in
October that they anticipated staff reductions, but 38 percent actually
reduced staff. MFG.com, the largest global sourcing marketplace
for the manufacturing industry, conducted its latest two-part survey in
early January 2010, targeting supply-side manufacturers and buy-side
original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) throughout North America. The
survey drew responses from 334 manufacturers of parts and services,
purchasing professionals and engineers. An array of industries,
including automotive, aerospace, medical, industrial equipment,
consumer products and textiles are represented in each MFGWatch
quarterly survey. When
asked, 35 percent of purchasing professionals said they had experienced
a significant supply chain disruption and had to seek alternative
sources to recover. And 34 percent of supply-side manufacturers stated
that they had received queries from buyers experiencing supply chain
disruptions within the past quarter. For the second quarter in a row,
one-third of all manufacturers responding have stated that they have
experienced supply chain disruptions, a significant number and trend. In
the October 2009 MFGWatch survey, only 6 percent of sourcing and
purchasing professionals said that they expected to reduce the number
of their active suppliers by year’s end. Instead, 19 percent say they
in fact reduced their supplier base during that time. Similarly, while
40 percent of the same group indicated in October that they expected to
add suppliers, only 23 percent did so. In
terms of specific supply chain risks, buy-side OEMs cited material
costs (47 percent) and supplier stability (46 percent) as the most
important issues to their supply chains. Supply-side manufacturers
identified customer stability as the most important issue for the
second straight quarter (81 percent). “Manufacturing
continues to lag behind other sectors in the American economy -- and of
all the challenges we face, employment appears to be the most serious
at the moment,” said Mitch Free, founder and CEO of MFG.com. “While
there are opportunities, and the national debate is focusing more on
manufacturing’s role in our economy, it will be difficult to take full
advantage until we revitalize manufacturing investment and stimulate
growth.” www.MFG.comFor more DPN News, click here
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