Collaboration is paramount as global supply disruptions remain two years into the pandemic
Sponsored – Ansell
Partnerships between IDNs and manufacturers have been redefined during the pandemic. It’s been two years since the first COVID-19 outbreak which dramatically impacted the supply chain process globally. Large IDNs are still facing supply disruptions throughout the world, leaving healthcare facilities to face increased pressure to secure critical product needed for patient care. As the waves of COVID-19 outbreaks continue to persist, demand remains strong while a host of logistical constraints from ports congested to shipping container shortages remain.
Ocean container line schedule reliability dropped to an industry low of 35.8% in 2021, according to Denmark-based Sea-Intelligence, a leading provider of research and analysis for the global supply chain industry.1 That compares to 63.9% in 2020 and 78% in 2019. It also showed U.S. consumption at record levels in 2021.2
“The demand, coupled with constrained supply of ocean vessels, hampers the ability to get containers through ports, onto rails and to delivery points,” said Allison Campbell, Vice President of Global Logistics for Ansell. “The market has not seen recovery to pre-pandemic times.”
Acknowledging the new norm is how to embrace the future. Manufacturers that are agile in a changing market coupled with contingency plans in place is the recipe for building resiliency in supply chain. It’s eminent for healthcare manufacturers and supply chain leaders to understand their pain points, innovate, and find solutions together as they’re faced with new challenges on a weekly basis. Leading healthcare suppliers like Ansell are consistently searching for ways to stay agile and continuously innovate in ways to meet customer ongoing demands for PPE by way of emergency preparedness. With their most recent investment, Ansell’s unique manufacturing footprint across the world helps mitigate risk of these disruptions as the very dynamic market continue to embark on the new normal.
“It’s important we have redundancy and dual sourcing capabilities in our Ansell owned manufacturing footprint as well as our expanded network of manufacturing partners,” Campbell said. “Our products are able to be made at multiple locations to increase or expand production as needed. We seek redundancy in our raw materials supply too.”
Current global supply chain constraints are highlighting the significance for companies like Ansell to have strong partnerships with their ocean carriers to secure the freight capacity needed to move their product. It’s also emphasizing important investments in distribution capabilities.
“We’ve added a new distribution center in New Jersey for our medical segment,” Campbell said. “We have additional network investments in North America coming up that will enable delivery of a full suite of Ansell product portfolios within two days to our customers.”
Ansell’s ship-to-promise (STP) is a key measurement for its customer experience. “Our global planning tools, given our large reach, help us deliver our products in full and on time to our customers,” Campbell added. “Our reach across many countries allows us to increase product volumes for delivery to our regional locations.”
Campbell says it’s been extremely hard work in supply chain during the past two years. But the challenges have reiterated the importance of IDNs and supplier partners being connected to the supply chain, knowing where the demand signals are coming from, having the agility to respond, and integrating different components to serve the customers that rely upon suppliers like Ansell. Campbell ends with “A manufacturer, closely collaborating with your customer has become paramount.”
Learn more about Ansell at www.ansell.com.
1 Seatrade Maritime News: Container line schedule reliability plunges to 35.8% in 2021
2 Container News: Sea-Intelligence sees no end in U.S. demand boom