We Must Learn to Mitigate Supply Chain Disruption from Disasters

摘要

The onset of COVID-19 had a negative impact on various supply chains. Inventory stopped flowing from overseas suppliers to U.S. retailers and manufacturers just as consumer demand for essential goods spiked. The trucking shortage we've all been trying to ignore asserted itself in the form of transportation bottlenecks and capacity shortages. Importers found themselves with empty warehouses as incoming shipments dried up, while exporters were stuck holding inventory and in desperate need of overflow space. While the speed with which the supply chain was disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic put supply chain weaknesses on display, it has also shined a light on where we need to strengthen our capabilities to mitigate future disruptions.