Here’s How to Ensure Supply Chain Disruptions Don’t Impact Your Build

For more than two years now, the construction industry has been dealing with supply chain issues, such as product shortages and shipping delays, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These disruptions have caused a variety of other problems in turn, including price hikes, expensive and lengthy project delays, and widespread use of lower-quality materials.

When you have a build coming up, especially a large EPC project, you need to pre-plan. When the supply chain is unpredictable, though, that can be tough to do. If you’re looking for a strategy to free you from the subjectivity of the global supply chain, here’s what you can do.

Align Your Team

The first step is to get everyone on the same page. Have the procurement folks communicate with your engineers so that your engineers know what materials are or aren’t reasonable to include in their design. This has to be intentional and may be a new protocol adopted by the procurement team.  When engineers haven’t aligned with current market realities, they might create designs during the project’s FEED stage which include materials that aren’t realistically going to be available or affordable. This collaborative process works best during the material requirements planning phase. If all parties can be flexible and cooperative, it’ll be much easier to get everything you need for your build. An experienced distributor can help identify current material challenges and proactively prevent bottlenecks on your project. Team up with a pro!

Enlist Expert Assistance

Once your team has aligned on material requirements planning and determined what parts and materials are the right fit for your project, the most important thing you can do is find a good supplier. Whenever you’re trying to circumvent supply chain disruptions, your best move is always to work with a reputable and experienced material distributor. In fact, if you can find a supplier before aligning your teams, that’s even better. Their expertise will be useful in the material requirements planning process.

When you work with an experienced distributor, you’ll get access to their on-hand stock of immediately available material. It’s important to choose a domestic and regionally strong material supplier so that international shipping issues, such as the shortage of ocean freight containers and lack of dock workers, won't delay your order. Working with a domestic and regionally strong distributor ensures that the products you need will be nearby and accessible.

An experienced material distributor can also be instrumental in ensuring that the products you source are in compliance with your projects Approved Manufacturer’s List (AML), sourced from a strong and reliable manufacturer, with a robust inventory.  

How Team Troop Can Help

With adequate material requirements planning and a top-notch distributor, you can complete your project to standards without any costly delays. If you’re looking for a material distributor for your next capital project, Troop Industrial is a fully USA-based supplier with round-the-clock service, high-speed shipping, and a reputation for doing amazing work, earned through over 20 years in the industry. Contact us today.