What's Next. Redesigning the Supply Chain in the New Era of Manufacturing.

The scenario

Today, the supply chains are influenced in various ways by the global ecosystem of which they are part. The challenges and risks faced by today’s manufacturing sectors are manifold and diverse, and although not all of them are new or unexpected, nevertheless, a rapid succession of disruptive events concentrated over such a short period of time is unprecedented in recent history.
The COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and increasingly frequent extreme weather events are external shocks that have jeopardized the global economy and have contributed to the acceleration of trends already evident in society and shaping our future.

Among the main megatrends that characterize the current scenario, we can see:

• The transition from globalization to the so-called “slowbalization,” that is, the slowdown in the process of global integration of economies
• The generalized increase in inflation levels
• The impact on producers of protectionist policies
• The consolidation of the concept of sustainability as a new status quo
• The evolution of consumer habits and behaviors
• Changes in the workforce

Although the manufacturing industry has shown incredible resilience and is now rapidly recovering, to maintain momentum, manufacturers must accelerate the pace of industrial transformation and design supply chains suited to an era of economic, geopolitical, and social upheaval.

Global economic trends

The end of hyper-globalization

Over the past fifteen years, global economic integration has faltered. While the global financial crisis triggered the process, the rise of nationalist policies and the COVID-19 pandemic have consolidated it.

The growth of protectionism

China has been the main target of protectionist measures due to its dominance in strategic sectors, the continued disruptions of the supply chain, and the underlying political tensions that have increased the risks of dependence on Chinese suppliers.
The reason why China is the main target of protectionist measures is simple: the country enjoys a dominant position in strategic sectors such as semiconductors and the supply of all 16 strategic critical rare earth metals, which are necessary for the production of technological equipment.

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