The last few years have been challenging for manufacturers. Global supply chain shortages and rising energy bills brought about by a turbulent economy are both having a significant impact.
It’s largely for these reasons, along with a need to reduce carbon footprints as we journey to net zero, that almost half of businesses surveyed recently said they will be onshoring their operations within the next 12 months.
Onshoring offers many benefits as it can cut costs by reducing shipping fees, help you to become a more sustainable business, and radically reduce lead times.
At Bex, we understand that printed components are often the last piece of the puzzle for manufacturers. While other companies may take months to turn orders around, we offer ultra competitive lead times, generally between 10 and 25 days, and on-time deliveries to ensure you hit your goals.
The impact of prolonged lead times
Imagine this scenario: a customer places a purchase order with their current supplier, only to be informed of unexpectedly extended lead times a couple of days later.
This delay, which can stretch up to 8 weeks for standard graphic overlay prints, becomes a stumbling block that prevents hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of items from being shipped out. This would disrupt production planning and cause frustration for both parties involved.
For buyers, this isn’t a hard scenario to imagine, as it’s the reality facing many manufacturers in the current climate. We have witnessed numerous instances where customers have approached us due to extended lead times experienced with their current suppliers.
At Bex, we recognise the critical role that printed components play in the manufacturing process. While other suppliers may take months to fulfil orders, we pride ourselves on our ultra-competitive lead times, typically being 10 working days, or up to 25 days for membranes, ensuring you stay on track and meet your goals.
We are also flexible in offering call-off options and scheduled drops throughout the year, further helping to mitigate delays. If you have a call off agreement in place you benefit from better pricing, based on annual usage, and can receive products within three working days.
Our solution: Rapid lead times
At Bex, we constantly invest in the latest printing equipment and cutting-edge technologies, allowing us to optimise our production processes and deliver exceptional lead times.
Our commitment to efficiency and customer satisfaction sets us apart in the industry. We prioritise prompt turnaround times and understand the pivotal role they play in maintaining smooth operations and fostering strong customer relationships.
To further cater to your urgent needs, we offer premium, fast turnaround services, providing printed products in as little as five working days. This option ensures that your time-sensitive projects stay on schedule and avoid unnecessary delays.
How we deliver rapid turnaround
At Bex, we place a high value on securing repeat business and have a number of initiatives to ensure lead times are kept to a minimum.
Firstly, we keep raw materials in stock so we can start working on orders right away, without waiting for stock to arrive. This has always been best practice for us, but amid recent global supply chain issues we increased our stock levels and we keep emergency supplies to safeguard against any unexpected shortages.
We have repeat scheduled orders of regular stock, and we set trigger levels to alert us when stock reaches a certain level so that we can order more. We plan six months in advance and have material deliveries every month, meaning that we never run low. Bulk ordering also helps us to keep our prices competitive.
Our highly sophisticated factory tracking software system seamlessly integrates all aspects of production planning, scheduling, stock control, purchasing, invoicing, quality assurance, and tracking. This streamlined approach enables us to optimise efficiency, resulting in faster turnarounds and reliable service for our clients.
Finally, our dedicated account managers act as extensions of your business, committed to your success. They stay on top of all of your orders, offer clear and consistent communications throughout, and ensure that orders are processed efficiently to meet your deadlines.
Contact us to find out how our rapid lead times can help your business thrive.
