As every sector of the economy recovers from 2020, the year taught many valuable lessons as we answered the challenges we faced. This year we’re providing an overview of the state of manufacturing for 2021, some of the challenges manufacturing will face as well as trends that will make manufacturing more resilient than ever before.
Focus on Supply Chain Collaboration
Starting in Q2 of 2020, manufacturers turned to their carriers in an effort to increase their supply chain visibility. With the uncertainty of whether or not plants would be shut down, manufacturing executives brought together demand and supply planners to share updates in real time and determine what must be produced. This collaboration helped both manufacturers and carriers navigate the uncertainty, which ensured the relatively quick recovery we saw in Q3 and Q4 of 2020. As a result, manufacturers will continue working closer than ever with carriers to create specialized supply chains that fit the needs of both companies.
Sustainability Efforts Will Increase
Manufacturing has proven to be one of the sustainable sectors in the economy, with a focus on reducing material waste, emissions and energy consumption. Manufacturing recognizes they have the most to gain with sustainability efforts and those efforts will only increase. A distributed network of smaller, localized and energy-efficient factories will shorten transportation routes which reduces carbon emissions from trucks as well as wear and tear on our national infrastructure. Combined, these efforts will create a more sustainable supply chain, and we will see more investment into this model in the near future.
Increased Focus on the Customer
Manufacturing business models will evolve to focus more on customer satisfaction since 2020 had a major impact on customer expectations with the supply chain. In short, consumers (both B2B and B2C) wanted their products to arrive on time and undamaged as well as ease with transactions. While this isn’t surprising, 2020 cemented the expectations customers have and manufacturers are turning to their carriers to ensure the customer is receiving a great experience. Manufacturers will continue to work with their carriers to ensure superior service for the customer, since any break in service will only result in a breach of trust with all parties.
At Zip Xpress, we understand the challenges manufacturers will be facing in 2021. We’re also prepared to handle these challenges and will work with any company to ensure superior service as well as ensuring your shipment will arrive undamaged and on time. This is done through our custom carrier solutions which will give manufacturers the edge they need in delivering a superior experience for their collaboration, sustainability and customer satisfaction efforts. To see what we can do for you, start today with Zip Xpress!
