Avoid maintenance supply chain risks, warns Brammer 29 November 2010

As demand for spares grows, in line with the industrial pick-up, MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) firm Brammer is warning plant managers to act quickly to avoid shortages.

Brynn Woods, purchasing and distribution director at Brammer, advises that long lead times on critical components could become a problem, and suggests that what matters now is securing the integrity of supply chains.

The point, he says, is that during the recession, some industrial component suppliers reduced their production levels, and capacity has not yet increased sufficiently to cope with new demand.

He warns of extended lead times, in some cases up to one year, for components that would previously have been delivered within weeks or even days.

"In some key component areas, there are major shortages of supply – and manufacturers without a reliable supply chain in place, for production-critical spares, could find themselves frantically trying to source a component or turning to unproven suppliers, introducing the risk of sourcing sub-standard or counterfeit parts," says Woods.

"Component shortages can also feed through into higher spares costs. Not only does this inflate manufacturing costs, but it further highlights the need for an efficient MRO procurement and management strategy that can help lower costs through demand reduction, reduced inventory, and production and maintenance improvements."

His view: "More than ever, a partnership with a reliable, authorised distributor, like Brammer, is vital to maintaining the continuity of supply for production critical spares and avoiding costly downtime.

Brian Tinham

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Brammer UK

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