SupplyChainTalk: Building resilient supply chains – proactive strategies to minimise disruption impact

On 8 October 2025, SupplyChainTalk host Ana Maria Velica was joined by Tom Bernth, Director, Global Supply Chain, Southworth International Group, Inc.; Jose Saiz de Omeñaca Monzón, Supply Chain Manager; and Taskin Unver, Head of Telecoms and Navigation Satellites Procurements, Airbus Defence and Space.

 

Views on news

So far this year there has been a wave of cyber-attacks targeting big businesses, including retailers such as Marks & Spencer and the Co-op, as well as a key airport systems provider. Other high profile victims have included the children’s nursery chain Kido, while last year incidents involving Southern Water and a company that provided blood tests to the NHS raised serious concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and services. Cyber-attacks at Marks & Spencer and the Co-op supermarket chain this year are estimated to have cost £300m and £120m respectively. Running safety stocks is one of the strategies to deal with the disruption cyber attacks cause. To prevent attacks that involve social engineering, cyber security training and phishing exercises are key.

 

Managing supply chain risks

Being aware of imminent rises in material prices due to tariffs can give a few months’ advantage to a company as well as help it prevent its margins eroding. In industries with less wriggle room, long-term contracts and partnerships with suppliers can help manage price volatility.

 

Meanwhile, a total cost of ownership (TCO) model can enable the business to continuously monitor overheads, tariffs and other costs as well. Tariffs payable on goods from China can be offset by finding secondary suppliers in Turkey. Supply chain mapping can help identify the business the pain points and bottlenecks that must be dealt with. Proactivity is paramount in supply chain management – you must monitor suppliers’ performance in real time – and shipping late and poor quality concerns are indicators that you exceeded the maximum capacity of your supplier. You must also decide which key competences will stay with the company.

 

Although ML can go a long way towards crunching data relevant to supply chains, professions’ expertise and personal visits to suppliers’ premises remain key. 

 

Risks in supply chains can be mitigated via supplier vetting, inventory planning and automated sourcing responses. Buffer stocks are essential even when clients and their demand is incorporated into inventory planning. You can also encourage your suppliers to make capacity assessment to ensure that they have the throughput to be able to meet the demand of their clients.

 

The panel’s advice

• Paying your suppliers on time is an ethical obligation, which can also ensure that the companies that provide you with materials, machinery and services will be less likely to face financial difficulties.
• Bring a procurement engineer with you to board meetings and negotiations with suppliers.
• Use your ERP system for exception notices.