In a world where global supply chains face unprecedented volatility, DSL stands as a beacon of reliability. Our approach to delivery is rooted in agility, transparency, and innovation, allowing us to navigate and mitigate supply chain challenges effectively. Whether it’s geopolitical disruptions or economic instability, DSL ensures our clients receive what they need, precisely when they need it.
Understanding Supply Chain Volatility
Nobody working in any kind of manufacturing industry today can fail to be aware of the challenges presented by disruptions to supply chains. The global shutdowns driven by the COVID-19 pandemic are still a relatively recent and quite stark reminder of just how bad things can get, and although that level of disruption is, thankfully, incredibly rare, more recently we’ve seen geo-political events such as the Red Sea crisis, a blocked Suez canal and the Russia-Ukraine war all impact supply chains, with the latter driving up the price of fuel and with it the cost of shifting freight items such as electrical components around the world. A report published in Procurement Magazine in 2024 stated that 47% of UK businesses had experienced supply chain disruption in the previous 12 months, with the causes ranging from high inflation (79%) and high energy/fuel costs (75%) to the war in Ukraine (53%) and the Red Sea conflict (44%). 60% of businesses agreed that their supply chains feel more fragile than in the past, and 45% were preparing for an increase in disruption over the next 12 months.
Lessons from the Semiconductor Crisis
The knock-on impact of geo-political events is often hard to predict as far as supply chains are concerned. For example, the years 2020-2023 saw a global shortage in the supply of semiconductor chips, the kind of chips which are utilised in everything from cars to smartphones, PCs and major infrastructure controls – pretty much everything we think of as the ‘modern world.’ Though the shortage was initially triggered by the pandemic – thanks to the perfect storm of decreased production meeting massively increased demand – it was then exacerbated by a range of factors including severe weather events, a trade war between the US and China and the war in Ukraine. This last factor is mentioned again as an example of how tricky it can be to predict the impact events such as the war will have. In this particular case, conflict in Ukraine led to a shortage of neon – of which Ukraine is a major supplier – a gas which is used in the production of chips.
At the time of writing, the world is waiting to see what kind of impact the second Trump presidency will have on trade between China and the US – and therefore with the rest of the world – while the official Korean government statistical body has recently reported that their stockpiles of chips are falling at the fastest rate since 2009, with inventories in September 2024 dropping by a shocking 42.6%. Given that Korea is the second largest producer of such chips in the world – with 17.7% of the market – this has prompted fears of a looming global shortage.
The DSL Approach to Reliable Deliveries
All of which is to point out that maintaining a record of reliable delivery in the face of supply chain volatility is always going to present something of a challenge, but it’s a challenge that we at DSL are more than happy to rise to.
Trusted Supplier Partnerships
Our approach to maintaining consistent delivery of the items we supply is founded on a number of core principles, but the most important is that we only work with tried and tested suppliers. We take the same approach to our suppliers as we do to our clients, which is to say that we enter into a full and transparent partnership, with information and communication flowing freely in both directions. Any of our clients are welcome to audit us, and many do so annually as part of their internal processes. We’re equally happy for clients or prospective clients to visit our electronic manufacturing facility to see how we work and ask any questions they might have. This approach flows through everything we do, and helps us to build relationships with suppliers who we know we can trust. As is the case with our clients, we like to build relationships over many years, based on mutual trust and a desire to work in partnership. Our commitment to supporting British manufacturing is also a factor, as it means we instinctively seek out on-shore suppliers, making us less vulnerable to the kind of shocks which regularly impact longer global supply chains.
Advanced Manufacturing Technology
Allied to our approach to the suppliers we use is the way we work. Our facility is home to some of the most advanced technology in the sector, most notably a fully automated SMT line, which enables us to meet orders and keep items flowing through and off the production line at speed without compromising quality. As well as cutting edge technology we’re proud to offer hands-on expertise and experience. Even the most advanced tool is only as effective as the person operating it, and our hand-picked team ensures that precision, robustness and quality are at the heart of everything we deliver. That’s why we’re able to offer an industry leading 5 year guarantee on everything we produce – because we know it’s a promise we’re more than able to keep.
Agile Practices
Finally, we’ve embedded agile working practices and agility in everything we do. Emblematic of this is our commitment to flexible delivery schedules, which means our delivery arrangements are individually designed to suit the unique requirements of each client. Put simply, our clients pay for what they need when and only when they need it, rather than having to pay for and take delivery of a bulk order as and when the items are manufactured. It’s this kind of flexibility, allied to our network of trusted suppliers and lean and agile production methods, which enables us to ride out any supply chain disruptions and maintain reliable deliveries for our clients. Rest assured that no matter what might be happening in the wider world, you can trust DSL to maintain deliveries you can rely on.
Why Choose DSL?
With over 30 years of experience, DSL delivers more than just components—we deliver peace of mind. Our unwavering commitment to innovation, quality, and client satisfaction ensures that, no matter the global landscape, our clients can rely on us to meet their needs.
For more insights into navigating supply chain challenges, explore our guide to agile manufacturing (link to the blog post) or supply chain resilience strategies. To experience our reliable delivery promise firsthand, contact DSL.
