Covid-19 pandemic put supply chain and logistics difficulties popping up on a daily basis. Before discussing supply chain difficulties let’s discuss a supply chain: what is it? A supply chain, to put it simply, is the route that goods take from their place of manufacture to their point of sale. 

There are severe shortages of numerous goods and raw materials for manufacture due to a number of flaws in the global end to end supply chain system that we depend on for practically everything in our lives.

How are supply chains operated?

One of the things that customers have never really had to worry about is the supply chain—that is, unless it starts to significantly affect our purchasing behaviors.

What is the significance of supply chain solutions in India? An excellent illustration of how crucial it is for companies to have a dependable, robust inventory procurement system..

A complex web of interdependent persons, businesses, technology, resources, and activities makes up supply chains. They are made up of five primary parts:

• Planning and Purchasing: Purchasers, such as merchants, ascertain their requirements for resources and goods based on availability and demand.
• Inventory control and warehousing: Enough stock is kept on hand to enable prompt order fulfillment. Sufficient inventory levels are maintained through the usage of a trustworthy inventory management system.
• Manufacturing: After supplier orders are fulfilled, products are manufactured to refill their depleted stocks.
• Transportation: The buyer receives the items via shipment.
• Return of goods: Commodities that the supplier uses a “reverse logistics” system to send back to them are goods that the seller has an excess of or that don’t satisfy a client because they are faulty or of poor quality.

What are the major supply chain challenges

The following are the primary factors (in no particular order) that contributed to “the perfect storm” of present supply chain and logistics concerns:

Issues with the supply chain Rising freight costs

The e-commerce industry has expanded faster than ever in the years ravaged by pandemics. In addition, companies now serve a worldwide clientele rather than just the local one. As a result, there is an increasing requirement for the transportation of both finished items and raw materials.  The scarcity of available containers combined with disorganized shipping capabilities has caused freight costs to rise.

Restricted Access to Raw Materials

Worldwide industrial organizations are facing a lack of raw materials as a result of the e-commerce industry’s explosive growth. The situation has been exacerbated by events like the war in Ukraine, which have blocked access to possible raw material suppliers.

Port Delays

Due to the surge in e-commerce, there is a significant rise in the demand for goods transportation company in India, which causes delays and congestion at ports. Companies are suffering huge financial losses as a result.

Demand Forecasting’s Complexities

Reliability in customer behavior combined with shifting market dynamics have made precise demand forecasting essential. Inaccurate demand forecasting has an influence on warehousing and logistics, inventory management, and other areas. Because demand forecasting’s factors are ever-changing, it has become increasingly complicated.

Supply Chain Distribution Gaps

In the current customer-focused business, having effective distribution supply chain solutions that guarantee prompt delivery is essential, not optional! But increasing consumer demand, ineffective transportation, and poor logistics have created new challenges for distribution networks.

Durability

In light of environmental deterioration, climate change, and other issues, developing sustainable enterprises is imperative. Building sustainable enterprises and implementing green practices is now the manufacturing sector’s responsibility.

Beyond this, supply chains and logistics services throughout the world also face obstacles from things like inflation, a lack of international collaboration, labor shortages, etc.

How do we address these supply chain challenges?

Several areas should be prioritized in order to optimize the supply chain and logistics, including:

• Purchasing raw materials from many suppliers is a smart strategic move. Procuring raw materials from locations closer to industrial sites can help mitigate the negative effects of transportation delays and combat growing freight prices.
• Priority should be given to continuing to concentrate on improving the effectiveness of shipping systems.
• In addition to cutting expenses, maximizing container use and tracking shipments will assist in resolving a few common transportation-related issues.
• Offering excellent customer service is one of a manufacturing company’s main priorities. Product delivery delays will have a detrimental effect on the customer experience. 

Last thought

In recent years, supply chain management and transportation services have faced several difficulties, and companies are attempting to adjust to the unstable market. Businesses need to think about the fact that they will probably face additional obstacles in the future as they tackle present obstacles. Using cutting-edge technologies can help your company become flexible and robust enough to withstand any future shocks.