[ INSIGHT ] SCRESILIENCE
by Amy Julian, Partner and Victor Kao, Risk Consulting Partner Armanino info@armanino.com | 844-582-8883
3 Steps to Improve Visibility and Resilience Supply chains are no strangers to disruption, but today’s environment is introducing a new level of complexity that manufacturers may have never seen before. For those not prepared, these pressures can quickly expose vulnerabilities across the supply chain. compliance reviews to help identify any miscalculations, gaps in cost assumptions, and inconsistencies between procurement and financial reporting that may otherwise go unnoticed.
3. Integrate AI. To use AI effectively, manufacturers should first establish a clear understanding of their supplier networks and ensure they have access to accurate internal and external data sources. Without a foundation of clean internal data, AI is a compass pointing in the wrong direction. When applied correctly, AI can support ongoing risk monitoring by providing teams with a more up-to-date view of potential vulnerabilities. AI can also strengthen scenario planning by helping organizations test different outcomes more quickly. In many cases, AI is most valuable not for providing definitive answers, but for prompting better questions and uncovering blind spots that might otherwise go unnoticed. For companies just getting started, third- party platforms or existing tools with built-in analytics let you make more strategic decisions without building capabilities from scratch. Manufacturers that treat resilience as a future initiative will find themselves reacting to conditions that more prepared competitors already anticipated. Lay the groundwork now, before the next disruption makes the gap obvious.
review supplier contracts to ensure expectations around delivery timelines and flexibility align with current operating conditions. Don’t silo this task to procurement. Your finance and operations teams should weigh in on how supply chain shocks may affect decisions on margins, compliance, and production schedules. Taking a more enterprise-wide approach to supplier mapping helps uncover blind spots and enables more informed sourcing decisions before disruptions occur. 2. Build scenario planning and forecasting models. Regularly evaluate how tariff changes, shifting trade policies, or shipping delays could affect pricing decisions and inventory levels. Companies can build forecasting models by incorporating real-time supplier, logistics, and market data, helping teams adjust assumptions earlier and better anticipate disruptions. AI plays an increasing role in this process, with advanced tools that provide on-the-spot modeling and analysis. Companies with high exposure to tariffs can consider conducting trade
Manufacturers need stronger visibility into their supplier networks and a clearer understanding of where risks may emerge. That process can start with a 3-step structured approach. 1. Map your supply chain. You can’t build a strategy in this environment without a bird’s-eye view of the full supplier network. Many manufacturers have insight only into their direct, Tier 1 suppliers and little to no visibility into their Tier 2 and Tier 3 partners that provide critical components and raw materials. Those upstream suppliers can introduce hidden risks that affect cost, lead times, and production. As companies adjust sourcing and distribution routes in response to tariffs, these risks become even more complex. Shifting suppliers or rerouting goods often introduces new regulatory and compliance requirements, adding another layer of exposure that may not be immediately visible. Start by mapping suppliers beyond the first tier and rank them by criticality to the business, revenue exposure, and switching costs. As part of this process,
64 Inbound Logistics • July 2026
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