Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IMLCompanies' requirements of suppliers and service providers are constantly changing. In particular, crises such as the Corona pandemic confront companies with new challenges, such as changing customer requirements or disruptions to operations within the supply chain. Challenges of this kind have a lasting effect on the supply chain and business relationships. Good cooperation between companies as well as suppliers and service providers is becoming increasingly important in order to adapt to changes on the way to the "new normal".
Among other things, the challenges lead to business processes being adapted and thus made more flexible and resilient. The results support suppliers and service providers in particular in adapting to the new market requirements. To this end, the Production Logistics department surveyed 95 manufacturing companies from various industries on topics such as supplier structure, collaboration approaches, data exchange and security, and innovation and development.
The increasing importance of a good collaboration between customers and suppliers and service providers is also demonstrated by this study. Ensuring security of supply is the fundamental basis for this. In addition, entry-friendly digital and data-driven services that are designed to be benefit- and demand-centric and extend the core business, among other things, form a high potential for a resilient business relationship between companies and suppliers and service providers.
