Proficient Sourcing LLC is in the business of providing supplier candidates for OEM’s looking to improve their supply chains of outsourced manufacturing. Generally, our candidates are domestic and usually Midwest. We cover almost all capabilities with shops who’ve demonstrated excellence in satisfying customers over many years. Read on—maybe we can help your supply chain.
This year we’ve expanded our capabilities for enhanced startup and new products, along with small parts manufacturing. We are also exploring an alliance with a Bankok company who helps move sourcing out of China into Malaysia, Viet Nam, the Philippines, and other SE Asian countries and some in eastern Europe as well.
Point is we have a significant array of resources to help if you have an interest in alternatives to your current manufacturing suppliers. We are especially interested in large equipment parts, and machinery components. But almost anything made of metal or plastic is in our wheelhouse.
Besides parts supply, we’ve heard of all manner of difficulties companies are having with suppliers. These include labor shortages, material leadtimes and overall availability, overseas shipment difficulties, rapidly changing material prices, and, or course, covid effects. Yet, we read demand for manufacturing overall is healthy. Apparently, manufacturers are skillful in navigating these troubled waters.
Most of these problems appear to us to be temporary, although for how long is unknown. The one that we believe to be the greatest for a long time is the labor shortage. There might be an unorthodox direction for a few of you in need of employees.
Some years ago we consulted with a number of small manufacturers, and researched labor sources out of the mainstream. We found a great number of organizations that work to train people for work in the general business population; the trainees are otherwise disadvantaged in one way or another.
Blind people would be an obvious example; yet there are some jobs these people can do. Tactile inspections, for example. Hearing impaired are another option, and such individuals may be able to take on tasks that free up other people without these disadvantages who can then do more regular work.
We found an organization dealing with downs syndrome people, who might be acceptable for some repeating tasks, perhaps packaging or moving carts from one station to another as examples.
We had particular success working with an organization that dealt with people trying to change their lives and recover from past problems such as additions or even prison. In this case, the organization worked to counsel these people in order to teach basic work skills and habits. Then, if a company agreed to take one or more of these people, the organization would assist with supervision and guidance in order to improve the chances of success.
Because most of the people in this organization had the benefit of counseling and instruction, and especially because they had demonstrated some dedication to learn and perform, the ones hired turned out very well.
If you are experiencing difficulty with overseas suppliers it might be time to consider reshoring things that can be supplied domestically. While direct price cost can be a problem, consider factors such as protection of intellectual property, delivery time, necessary delivery quantities, up front payments, shipping costs, and overall administration. Added difficulty in such things may make domestic supply more attractive. Consider the value of a nearby supplier who can help with innovation and engineering. There is no substitute for proximity and especially where live personal visits are reasonably easy to do.
The Reshoring Initiative has a handy worksheet that might be helpful if reshoring is something worth considering.
Above all we hope you will keep us in mind. Our network of experienced shops can provide almost any kind of manufacturing and all are alive and well and most interested in providing excellent supplier alternatives. Just give us a call at (513) 489-5252. We are ready whenever you are.