If something sounds simple, it is often actually an enormous organisational and logistical challenge, especially when things don’t go as planned. It is highly likely that something unforeseen will happen when suppliers, production workshops and customers are spread across Asia, Europe and America.
“At the moment, we’re moving from a Chinese holiday to the next wave of the coronavirus. Despite these hurdles, we’re making every effort to guarantee the supply of materials and ensure that goods reach customers on time,” says Jasmin Zentgraf, Head of SCM at A&R.
SCM is a fundamental part of A&R’s business – if a delivery is held up, this has an impact on every subsequent part of the chain. That’s why the SCM team is in constant dialogue with A&R’s suppliers and customers and its affiliates in Sri Lanka and China, thus ensuring a faultless supply chain.
In terms of day-to-day work, this means that the SCM team determines the requirements, guarantees the supply of raw materials, taking procurement times into account, and controls the flow of goods from Europe to Asia and back again. The individual tasks are manageable in and of themselves, but often require great organisational skills from the SCM team due to how intricate and interconnected they are. “We never know what’s awaiting us in the morning – each new day is exciting!” chuckles Zentgraf.
