Supply chain issues and Post Brexit Supply statement

POST BREXIT SUPPLY STATEMENT
Updated November 2021

As the UK has left the European Union we are now mitigating the issues as follows.

Stocks

We have reviewed our stocks and identified a number of critical ‘A&B line’ consumable products including forward ordered PPE like gloves, with extended delivery periods and worldwide material shortages due to the impact of the Coronavirus world-wide  pandemic. We have regularly communicated with our Suppliers and have recommended that they hold additional buffer stocks to cover such an eventuality or utilise space at the Camlab warehouse to increase product availability. We have also increased our own stockholdings and updated our leadtimes on our systems. Leadtimes for items can be viewed on our website www.camlab.co.uk

Supply chain, Customs declarations

We are already a long term experienced international importer and exporter of goods to and from the UK, however we will provide additional resources and training for more of our staff to help facilitate this process.

We are seeing additional delays at the customs border, combined with extended delivery periods on imported goods due to the enhanced regulations and potential lack of availability of transportation from a number of ports. We are expecting potential significant market volatility over the coming years, which could adversely affect the current UK economic and supply chain environment. We have a strong relationship with our experienced freight forwarder and will be providing additional training to staff on the new border procedures. We are already experiencing increased costs of shipping due to COVID-19 shortages. Duty and tariffs will also increase costs of delivered goods to the UK, inevitably leading to more price increases in 2022.

Critical items

Where possible we are identifying alternative manufacturer’s products for our current fast moving critical products and on request will provide samples to customers to pre-approve these alternative items as backup, critical for their work, prior to use. If however any customers who are not currently purchasing these critical items from Camlab and wish to consider Camlab as a secondary or dual-source for these goods we would  be happy to also discuss their requirements for inclusion in our stock planning process or to be listed on their system as an alternative source.

Currency

We will continue to adjust prices in line with positive and negative exchange rate fluctuations as well as the adverse impact on costs of COVID related products have already seen significant price increases. We are encouraging our customers to pre-order critical items so this can be included in our planning. This will reduce the cost impact for those customers who can commit to a pre-order.

Price increases

Further price increases from suppliers are expected due to supply chain issues and we will work with our suppliers to try to provide an adequate notice period for all customers. To do this effectively we will work closely with both our suppliers and customers to forward plan and achieve the correct stock holding in a potentially difficult uncertain volatile trading environment. We will endeavour to buy in economic quantities to help mitigate excessive single unit price increases.

Panic buying and controls

We are aware that we may find abnormal quantities are purchased due to ‘panic buying’ causing a run on certain items and a ‘stock out’ situation on critical products such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Laboratory consumables, reagents and kits. We have set up process to manage our stock numbers and limit large abnormal quantity purchases have reserved stock accordingly for our existing customers and those who have engaged in forward planning with Camlab; Even so quantity restrictions may apply at times and customers should anticipate some disruption and endeavour to ration their own usage on critical products or find alternatives.

Camlab contact details for more information regarding Post Brexit Supply planning.

You can view our Brexit Readiness Questionnaire and our Risk Assessment or request a call back by clicking on the buttons below