A MESSAGE FROM FASTENAL RESILIENCY Show of hands: How many times have you heard the phrase “supply chain” in the past two years? Okay, now how many times have you heard it used in a positive context? … That’s what I thought. “Supply chain” is used a lot these days, and it’s almost always associated with problems. But it doesn’t have to be that way; a single word puts things in a different light. That word is “resiliency,” and it’s the theme of this issue of The Blue Print – how to build supply chain resiliency in uncertain times. There are a lot of reasons why you may be experiencing supply chain disruption in your business. An area that stands out to me is the loss of human relationships in our digital world. What do you do when everyone wants the same product and demand exceeds capacity? What if your inventory is piled up at a dock and the carrier service is out three weeks due to a labor shortage? In a transactional environment, the only answer is a longer lead time or an “out of stock” notification. Resiliency requires a proactive approach – re-evaluating current processes, identifying the critical parts in your business, and creating contingency plans for those worst case scenarios. Chances are you’re already doing this for your most strategic items, but what about everything else you need to keep your business running? With so many other priorities, how can you find the time to plan for thousands of parts and supplies? The solution: Find a partner. Someone you can trust to manage your indirect materials. Someone who already has safeguards and multi-source options built into the supply chain. Someone who will be agile in the face of change and prioritize your needs when demand gets tight. At Fastenal, we’re working hard to be that partner. Our scale allows us to source deep and globally. With our own global trading company, logistics fleet, and manufacturing division, we’re able to get creative in times of high demand. We invest in local buffer stock for your business, along with technology that keeps us on top of your inventory and usage. And most importantly, we have more than 15,000 people in customer-facing roles – layers of support to manage your inventory and creatively solve problems for your organization. Looking for instant resiliency? Find a trusted partner. To those who have chosen Fastenal, thank you! To those who are still unsure, we hope you’ll give us a chance to demonstrate our capabilities and commitment. In the meantime, enjoy the articles and look for ideas to turn risk into resiliency. Brooke Mlsna Vice President of Marketing VOL. 3 - 2022 5
Share
Print
Download PDF file
