sportstyle

September 2021 • 41 sportstylemag.com • sportstyle "We expect that there may be unpredictable supply chain disruptions and challenges on an ongoing basis now, especially as the Delta variant causes some governments to impose new restrictions or suppliers and manufacturers face their own chal- lenges with raw materials, labor, transportation and logistics. It's more important than ever before to manage your inventory very carefully, plan for possible disruptions, be candid with your customers when there are surprises or delays, and be nimble and ready to respond when something happens." Mary-Cathryn Kolb Founder & CEO, brrr° "The only solution is constant attention to customer service. Servicing the business is different today and focused on constant detail to accomplish what the supply chain can achieve, and working to satisfy each link in the chain." David Parkes Founder, Concept III Textiles "There have been huge challenges in global logistics the past year and it seems like it will continue at least for another 6-12 months. We have managed quite well to get goods out in time, but unfortunately the cost for transports have sometimes been four-fold compared to pre-COVID. I think thoroughly planning and foresight is key for keeping the supply chain operational and within budget." Ulrika Björk, CEO Polygiene "By keeping our focus on post-pandemic opportuni- ties, we accelerated our R&D efforts to expand our Sensil branded sustainable Nylon portfolio. Plus, we instituted process improvements to make our own production more environmentally responsive. We worked with our network to put in place all the supply chain components to ensure that we successfully launch the new products that respond to emerging conscious consumer demands and that will benefit all the partners along our supply chain from raw materials suppliers through to brands and retailers." Sagee Aran Head of global marketing, NILIT "Today's global supply chain, and specifically cross-continent material movements, has expe- rienced unprecedented impact in terms of time delays, soaring logistics costs, and most importantly, the opportunistic cost associated with not having merchandise on the retail shelf when needed. The recent significant supply chain struggles will likely alter the state of the market as retailers consider and seek out vendors located geographically closer to the end-use market. While compelling cost advan- tages from Asian producers will still drive the bulk of orders, retailers may now be a bit more wary of putting all their eggs in one basket." Madhukar Kulkarni Global textiles business director, IFF (The Silvadur business is now part of IFF Health & Biosciences division.) "Sourcing and sustainability were important to our customers prior to COVID, but as the pandemic pro- gressed, we saw the value of our domestic offering grow. COVID-related disruptions in international production and logistics services highlighted the value of having domestic partners. We maintained production and ensured smooth deliveries to our customers when overseas providers were experi- encing significant delays and/or closures. COVID certainly underscored the importance of diversifying one's supply chain to include domestic providers as a means of offsetting periods of unpredictability and unreliability in international supply." Keith Horn President, Kentwool Yarn, and Lauren Luneckas, president, Kentwool Performance Apparel 1. The Supply Chain 1. Supply Chain struggles How to smooth delivery and fix fragmentation? 2. Digitalization Whether to continue/accelerate investment in virtual showrooms, online sourcing platforms and 3D product development? 3. Remote workforce Where does corporate culture reside? In the office, or at home? 4. Pricing problems How are you dealing with the rising cost of raw materials? 5. Trade Shows What's on the calendar? TOPICS INCLUDE: Having navigated a year defined by change and resilience, as COVID re-shaped our industry, the textile community faces some big challenges going forward. Issues influencing business today run the gamut from the nuts and bolts of day-to-day management to a major reshuffle of the global supply chain. We reached out to top-level execs for their take on a handful of critical factors impacting the state of the market in 2021. A dozen companies participated in our Altered States coverage, with execs taking time out of their busy days ("hectic" was often used to describe workday schedules) to respond to our questions. Here's what they had to say about new ways of conducting business, while missing face-to-face experiences. PARTICIPATING BRANDS brrr° Charles Ross Concept III Downlite HeiQ IntelliFresh/Silvadur Kentwool Nester Nilit Polygiene TTG Unifi

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