Improving Your Supply Chain After COVID-19

Tips on how to ensure your businesses supply chain is able to cope with the uncertainty of COVID-19.

The shock outbreak of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) took the majority of companies in the UK and abroad by surprise. This uncertainty which still surrounds the global economy and the strong potential for more disruption globally makes it more important now than ever to ensure that your supply chain is resilient and dependable going into the future. The enforced closure of businesses in China, the country known as ‘the worlds factory’ and the location of many of the world’s largest rubber manufacturers has left their customers’ orders either delayed for months or simply unfulfilled and has exposed the vulnerabilities of overdependence on outsourcing to foreign countries.

Improving Your Supply Chain

Increase Supplier Flexibility

Using UK based rubber suppliers will greatly increase the flexibility you have with your orders; faster and more effective communication, coupled with shorter lead times make UK suppliers far more suited to dealing with the changes in demand. Selecting suppliers which are agile ensures that the time lag is greatly reduced when your demand changes compared to overseas suppliers. 

​Shorten Your Supply Chain

COVID-19 has seen lead times increase throughout every aspect of business, with delays and increased prices at distribution networks, shortages of raw materials and access to labour proving more difficult. This has only been amplified when dealing with overseas manufacturers where orders that have already been paid for are taking longer to be shipped and therefore for the profit to be realised. By working with local suppliers, shorter lead times take the pressure off of your cash flow and reducing the risk your supply chain has on your business.

Increase Supplier Visibility

Many suppliers have left customers in the dark for weeks, without updating them on their orders, causing not only massive delays in their own production, but being forced into passing these delays onto their own customers. In contrast, customers who had a transparent relationship with their supplier were able to manage their supply chain and customer's expectations more effectively. Ensuring you work with suppliers which keep customers updated with their orders allows you to focus your time on the things that matter most to your business.

We can improve your supplier flexibility Walker Rubber's UK based sales team has catered to its customers urgent and changing needs throughout the pandemic. This has enabled customers to effectively deal with changes in their demand, resulting in more time being spent on activities which matter the most.
We can shorten your supply chain With lead times as short as just 48 hours, Walker Rubber can help take the pressure off of your cash flow by delivering just-in-time, reducing the risk your supply chain has on your business.
We can improve your supplier visibility The highly responsive nature of Walker Rubber ensures that customers are well informed with the progress of their orders. As such, we are able to alleviate the stress comes with managing supply chains in the uncertain times that we find ourselves in.

Get a quote in under 24 hours: Our team will process your enquiry and get back to you to discuss your needs within 24 hours.

Over 80 years of experience: Our vast knowledge of the rubber industry means there's nothing we haven't encountered and helps us understand exactly what you need.

Professional support: Our team are on hand to provide fast, professional support regardless of your query.

Walker Rubber is a UK based rubber manufacturing specialist, with the ability to create bespoke extrusions, gaskets, mouldings and many other services.

To talk to us about your business's needs, fill in our enquiry form.


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Thoughts on how and where you source rubber
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