Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1469030
B ison Designs has been a suc- cessful small batch belt factory and distributor of outdoor accessories for 35 years. With a focus on sustainability and innovation (the brand's climb- ing chalk is pressed from sea water) Bison is known for fun and functional products ranging from key chains to artisanal hand- craed leather belts. With distribution that extends from Kmart to REI, the company has a close-up view to a wide spectrum of American consumer markets. I recently stopped by the company's head- quarters in Longmont, Colorado to see the owner, Brian Kelleghan, and get a glimpse into how Bison manufactures product. I was not disappointed. While wandering through the usual maze of patched together gray metal shelving units and side stepping tubs stuffed with half finished product, it became apparent that Bison is absolutely full to the brim with raw materials. Small rooms held small fortunes in little cardboard boxes full of buckles and biners. Webbing rolls sat on shelves in perfect tubular alignment, stacked all the way to the ceiling. I expected the machinery, the lasers and bartackers and sewing machines; but it was the backstock that wowed me. e place was packed tight with inventory. As we walked and talked, Brian explained that early on during the pandemic's outbreak, when most sane people realized that the 'shit was about to hit the fan', he asked his buyer at Bison to purchase a year's worth of raw materials. She did her job. "We would be stopped cold if I had not placed the gargan- tuan orders in the beginning," Brian explaine d, " The trickle of materials that we get now is because of those big orders early on." I inquired if the increase in raw materials had had a positive impact on Bison's business opportunities. "Yes," was his one word reply as he disappeared into yet another hallway lined with blue bins full of belts. Bison's business is similar to that of other small batch factories. Raw material sourc- ing is spread across a number of disparate supply chains; some are easy to navigate, and some are not. Just like American automobile makers being stopped by a chip shortage, when a single upstream sewn goods supplier has trouble getting raw materials, many dependent factories downstream struggle to keep production schedules flowing. "What we used to get in 4-6 weeks now takes 4-6 months," Brian stated. I inquired if that meant he ordered five times as much product each time. He affirmed, and we laughed at the thought of the poor suppliers whose sales books exploded when every factory manager in the world did the same thing. Bison's response to the supply chain lag was to diversify its sourcing. Aer scouring his global contacts Brian settled on a strategy: "For the products that we get from offshore, we've gone to three parallel sourcing sys- tems — Taiwan, India and China. ey all operate at once." en it clicked for me; the Great Toilet Paper Shortage of 2021 is a great analogy for what is happening in the nook-and-crannies of supply chains across all industries. Fear of scarcity has changed purchasing behavior and at every level people are stocking up. If you're a maker, you can't have too many parts. e just-in-time inventory management philosophy that has worked for so long is being replaced by a just-in-case mentality. Get it while you can. n Disclaimer: Mr. Gray sold Mr. Kelleghan his first sewing machine, a beat-up old Consew 99. e irony is overwhelming. e publisher may not share Mr. Gray's opinions or business acumen. OUT OF CONTEXT By Kurt Gray What used to take 4 to 6 weeks now takes 4 to 6 months. Just in Time Becomes Just in Case 42 • Textile Insight ~ May/June 2022 textileinsight.com