I would recommend to diversify in early stages of the project, like in an engineering design stage or even before when defining requirements, do not simply rely upon supplier’s diversification, because in times of crises most of the suppliers tends to face the same disruption, hence late stages would make it even difficult to manage. This is one of the key learning from the pandemic.

To keep production on track during supply chain hiccups, it’s crucial to have a good plan. This includes diversifying suppliers and using real-time data. For example, if an electric vehicle (EV) company suddenly faces a battery shortage due to geopolitical issues, they don’t stop production. Instead, they partner with another battery supplier and reallocate stock to focus on high-demand models. By using predictive analytics to monitor global trends, they can anticipate shortages and adjust their purchases. Staying flexible with suppliers and making data-driven decisions help the manufacturer avoid delays and keep things moving smoothly.

Other possible strategies can be: 1. Having a reliable and trustworthy network of colleagues who can assist us in such conditions (as well as we do the same for them). 2. If it is possible (regarding maintaining the safety of our team and the quality of our process and product), perform the other steps and stages while we are waiting to receive the specific item. In this case, we can save time. 3. If we cannot continue the process, we will pause and/or stop the process because the safety of our team and the quality of our process and product are vital and we will not trade them with anything. Subsequently, we will inform our customers about this pause.