The supply chain is always working to keep life as we know it functioning, but in our current crisis the supply chain is working even harder. The last few weeks have seen consumers scrambling to purchase supplies for an uncertain duration of time. One of the main commodities that everyone is aware of there being an issue with is toilet paper.

According to Procter & Gamble it is shipping record-high levels of Charmin and other brands of toilet paper, they released the following statement: “Demand continues to outpace supply at the moment, but we are working diligently to get product to our retailers as fast as humanly possible.  We continue to manufacture and ship Charmin to our retailers.”  They just can’t keep up with the hoarding that panic has caused in addition to supply chain challenges.

Georgia Pacific is stepping up their operations to produce more paper products and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) lifted regulations on the hours that truckers can operate to make sure we get the medical supplies, toiletries, and groceries we need. The FMCSA took the time to thank the truckers with a message: “The hard-working men and women of the commercial motor vehicle industry drive our nation’s economy. As our nation works to address the #COVID-19 outbreak, the CMV industry is playing a critical role in ensuring deliveries and maintaining America’s supply chain. Thank you for all the work that you do.”  Now is a great time to thank trucker drivers and to reflect on where we would be if trucks were to stop rolling.

 Day One

Hospitals will run out of basic supplies

Affected areas will go without delivery of medical supplies

Service stations will run out of fuel

U.S. mail and packages will cease

Day Two

Food shortages will become an issue

Lack of fuel will raise prices and create long lines

After just a few days

Due to hoarding the food shortages will escalate and essential supplies will disappear

ATMs and Banks will run out of cash

Garbage will start piling up creating sanitation issues.

Due to a lack of fuel automobile travel will cease including emergency vehicles                              

Hospitals will run out of oxygen supplies

Our clean water supply will run out

In addition to the drivers there are many people working tirelessly to produce, store, transport, and stock the products we are buying in bulk. There is no doubt that our doctors and nurses our heroes, but let’s not forget all the supply chain heroes who every bit as important! Thank you for all that you do!

When asked by ADAMA Agricultural Solutions, one of the leading manufacturers of crop protection solutions in the U.S., to analyze their domestic supply chain movements for products leaving their new Tifton, GA plant, we put our knowledge of the agricultural chemical industry to work.

After much deliberation, it was concluded that Outsource Logistics could provide a local warehousing hub to support the plant operations by utilizing a multi-faceted approach.  By literally warehousing 2 miles from their plant, we could provide just in time inventory to keep their plant processes running efficiently while eliminating inventory that was taking up their valuable production space.

It was also concluded that by providing a local “landing pad” for their finished products, we could not only provide exceptional service to their customers in the Southeast, but also delay shipping to other regional distribution centers until sales forecasts warranted the movement.  We also provide dedicated daily shuttles between our warehouses and the plant through our Dedicated Fleet Services division to keep transfers running smoothly.  A truly great partnership was born!