COVID-19 Diaries: It has been a daily struggle to find suppliers

Late last week, I posted a blog inviting supply chain professionals to share with me what’s happening at their companies as they cope with COVID-19 disruptions. I’d love to hear from you at [email protected], and I’m happy to post them anonymously if that’s important. I’ll keep them brief, and largely as I receive them.

Yesterday, I received an email from Luiz Carlos Roque, Jr., a supply and logistics coordinator with the Molecular Biology Institute of Parana, located in Curitiba, Brazil. The institute works in applied research, technological development, innovation and industrial production of inputs and diagnosis kits for health, including fighting the coronavirus. Here’s what he had to say:

“My company is working on the front line fighting the coronavirus in Brazil. It has been a daily struggle to find suppliers and available routes to make the supply chain go round. Many of our suppliers have been able to serve our organization because they are in the health segment, and we are avoiding an immediate rupture to the supply chain, so far. Yet, we have redoubled the care of our team, as recommended by the authorities.

“The greatest difficulties are the lack of availability of some products due to the capacity of the factories and the lack of flights from Europe, Asia and the US to South and Central America. That is affecting local supply. Our risk management plan was fundamental, and the alignment we have with our strategic suppliers has been an important issue for our organization. Luiz Carlos Roque, Jr.”

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