The effect of supply chain disruptions associated with the COVID 19 pandemic led many companies to pivot from a just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing and distribution model to just-in-case (JIC). The JIC model emphasizes stockpiling inventories as a strategy to mitigate the risk associated with disruptions, variability and uncertainty in the flow and availability of supplies and raw materials through the supply chain.
While supply chain disruptions are a continuing risk for companies, the severe disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have eased. Now, however, factors such as international political instability and local port disruptions caused by labor disputes represent persistent and potential supply chain threats that remain on a supply chain planner’s radar.
Companies are evaluating whether to return to a leaner, JIT model as their inventory stockpiles are depleted. This goes hand-in-hand with the continuing trend in nearshoring manufacturing as a supply-chain risk mitigation strategy. Whether the JIT model or the JIC model is implemented, digital, on-premise, on-demand label printing is a tactic that supports an overall supply chain risk mitigation strategy and complements either model.
On-premise, on-demand label printing further mitigates the risk of operational disruption by removing dependencies on outside resources, including both materials and production. It also eliminates the waste (and cost) associated with outsourced label production, and this presents companies with a significant advantage regardless of whether the operational model is JIT or JIC.
Printing your labels at the exact time you need them, in the exact quantity needed, at the precise location needed, results in less waste, reduced lead times, fewer production delays and interruptions, and helps ensure that customer shipments leave your plant on schedule. Increased efficiency, lower costs and a healthier bottom line is the return on investment for the adoption of on-premise, on-demand label printing and it works well with either JIT or JIC.
Contact us to learn how you can implement an on-premise, on-demand label printing solution to complement your supply chain risk mitigation strategy.