In a recent interview with Avnet's Supply Chain Navigator, Dale Dougherty, founder of Maker Media and the man widely credited with being the "father" of the maker movement discussed the importance of supply chain to makers who aspire to bring their products to market. Here's what he said:
SCN: Over the past several years, supply chain management has become a significant competitive differentiator for established manufacturers. Do you see that same dynamic eventually translating into the maker space?
DD: Absolutely. It is important for makers to think about sourcing and logistics and all those considerations much earlier in the process than they typically do today. Many makers are still novices when it comes to business and operations management. So, when they are putting together their BOMs and looking for sources, they often just consider price, without understanding the different levels of support that may be available at each price point and the potential strategic advantages of getting to market quicker, more cost effectively and with product that is likely to be higher quality and more reliable.
Unfortunately, the risk associated with this sourcing inexperience does go beyond inefficiency. They may not be aware of the potential pitfalls of buying from an online only resource or a site that aggregates supply from thousands of sources. Many learn the hard way that if you don’t carefully vet your sources, you could end up with parts that are counterfeit or unreliable.
Visit the October 2017 edition of Supply Chain Navigator for additional insights from Dale, including the role makers can play in driving innovation throughout the manufacturing econoomy, makers' impact on 3D printing and more.