How COVID-19 Has Impacted Manufacturing and The Global Supply Chain
- January 5, 2021
- Marcus Brown
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How much impact has COVID-19 really had on manufacturing? Different regions have experienced varying levels of disruption over time and not all operations or industries ever completely shut down. Many industrial manufacturing companies are considered essential and have continued operations uninterrupted or have seen demand for their product change in dramatic ways. So just how widespread is the disruption to manufacturing caused by COVID-19? That is the question Markforged set out to answer in their new report “COVID-19 Impact on Supply Chains: Global Additive Manufacturing Industry Report.” How much impact has COVID-19 really had on manufacturing? Different regions have experienced varying levels of disruption over time and not all operations or industries ever completely shut down. Many industrial manufacturing companies are considered essential and have continued operations uninterrupted or have seen demand for their product change in dramatic ways. So just how widespread is the disruption to manufacturing caused by COVID-19? That is the question Markforged set out to answer in their new report “COVID-19 Impact on Supply Chains: Global Additive Manufacturing Industry Report.”
The report is based on surveys of customers and non-customers of Markforged across the globe. The large sample size makes it possible to quantify anecdotal stories such as how many companies produced their own PPE and did additive manufacturing save you time or money during this disruption? Here are some key takeaways:
- Markforged customers were forced to scale back production of their typical products less than companies without industrial additive solutions (23.6% to 39%)
- 26.8% of companies report expanding their usage of additive manufacturing during the pandemic, primarily into the traditional use cases for Markforged printers (Prototypes, Tools, Fixtures, Aftermarket and Short-Run Production)
- 65% of customers report no change to their part sourcing strategy. 16.9% are pivoting to some form of insourcing while 15.1% are using additive manufacturing differently
- Only 4% of respondents reported building their own PPE
- Over 50% of Markforged users reported saving time and/or money using additive manufacturing
The benefits of additive manufacturing remain steady or are amplified during times of disruption. Companies that saw little impact from COVID-19 continued to experience the expected benefits of additive manufacturing while severely impacted companies relied more heavily on the flexibility it provides.
About the author
While Marcus has been a SOLIDWORKS Applications Expert with MLC CAD Systems for over a decade, his knowledge extends into all 3 product lines MLC offers. More than once, he has held the prestigious title of the world’s most certified SOLIDWORKS AE. He actively supports the user group community and is known for his improv comedy tips and tricks session. Connect with Marcus on Twitter to discuss your project.
