Reshoring on the rise says EEF
1 min read
Increasing numbers of manufacturers are bringing production back in-house and increasing their hunt for local supply capability in response to increased disruptions to supply chains caused by recession and natural disasters, according to a new survey.
The survey, from the manufacturers' organisation EEF, highlights the globalised nature of manufacturing and its supply chains, a trend that it says brings the potential for disruptions to cause business continuity risks. The survey shows companies are alive to such threats; one third of companies viewing it as a board level matter.
Four in 10 manufacturing companies in the survey said they were bringing production back in-house, while a quarter had increased their use of local suppliers.
Other findings from the survey show:
· The average manufacturer has 190 suppliers, with one in five saying half their suppliers were located outside the UK.
· Around a quarter of manufacturers have seen an increase in the use of suppliers outside the UK in the past two years.
· The most significant impacts on companies from disruptions were loss of orders and loss of revenue.
· Actions to improve supply chain resilience have included better inventory management; increasing collaboration and forward planning with suppliers and investment in IT to improve supplier management.
· Despite the potential risks to disruption the survey also showed that only 11% of companies monitor their entire supply chains and 16% of companies do not monitor their suppliers at all.
