Navigating Material Shortages: How Medway Fence Building Companies Adapt to Supply Chain Challenges
The Impact of Material Shortages on a Local Fence Building Company
As a supply and fit fence building company without our own yard, Sheridan Fencing, based in Medway and serving the areas of Medway, Maidstone, Gravesend, and Sittingbourne, we rely heavily on three excellent trade-focused yards that we frequently visit for materials. These yards have been our go-to suppliers, providing high-quality materials and consistently meeting our needs in normal times. However, even with such reliable suppliers, material shortages can create significant challenges for us.
The Benefits of Supplier Relationships
Our strong relationships with these three trade yards are key to our operations. Their familiarity with our business means they often give us priority access to the best materials when stocks are limited, which is a huge advantage. This allows us to maintain a smooth workflow, especially during the 'first wave' of demand after a busy period like post-Christmas or High winds, when customers in Medway and surrounding areas urgently need fence repairs and replacements. However, as demand increases and stock levels drop, even the most well-stocked yards can struggle to keep up.
The Perfect Storm: Post-Christmas Chaos
After Christmas, storms often sweep through Kent, bringing strong winds and rain that damage fences across the region. Homeowners in Medway, Maidstone, Gravesend, and Sittingbourne are left seeking urgent fence repairs, and demand for our services surges. During normal periods, this surge is manageable due to our solid supplier relationships, but when a 'perfect storm' of high demand and low stock hits, the situation becomes more difficult.
The First Wave:
Business as Usual In the initial rush after a storm, our relationships with our trusted trade yards allow us to meet customer demand efficiently. We have priority access to quality materials, and projects in Medway, Maidstone, and beyond typically proceed without disruption. However, as storm damage continues to pile up and stock runs low, even our best suppliers face limitations.
When the Well Runs
Dry Once our suppliers' yards start running out of materials, it becomes much harder to keep projects on track. Without our own yard or stockpile, Sheridan Fencing is dependent on our suppliers, and when they run dry, so do we. This leads to delays and disruptions across our service areas, requiring us to get creative in sourcing materials.
The Hunt for Materials Begins
When our usual suppliers can't meet demand, we're forced to broaden our search for fencing materials. This can mean reaching out to new suppliers or even visiting DIY stores, brick suppliers, or public-facing retailers in the hopes of finding stock. This scavenger hunt for materials, which can take us all over the Medway and surrounding areas, often results in increased travel, higher costs, and inconsistencies in material quality.
The Cost of Shortages
Material shortages create several challenges for us, including:
- Increased Travel Time: Searching multiple suppliers across Medway, Maidstone, and beyond reduces the time we can spend on-site.
- Higher Fuel Costs: The extra travel increases fuel expenses, cutting into profits.
- Inconsistent Material Quality: Relying on various suppliers leads to potential differences in quality and appearance, affecting the consistency of our work.
- Project Delays: Sourcing materials takes time, pushing back project completion and sometimes frustrating customers.
- Stress and Uncertainty: Not knowing where the next batch of materials will come from adds stress to an already demanding workload.
Planning for the Future
While material shortages can't always be predicted, we've learned to take steps to reduce their impact:
- Diversify Supplier Relationships: While our three primary suppliers are essential, we've established relationships with other potential suppliers to increase our chances of securing materials when stock runs low.
- Small Stock Reserves: Although we don't have our own yard, we've started keeping small reserves of key materials to handle emergencies.
- Clear Communication with Customers: We always keep our customers informed about potential delays due to material shortages, which helps manage their expectations.
- Flexible Scheduling: We build flexibility into our timelines to better accommodate delays caused by supply chain issues.
Conclusion
As Sheridan Fencing, serving Medway, Maidstone, Gravesend, and Sittingbourne, not having a yard of our own allows us to operate with lower overheads and greater flexibility during normal times. However, during material shortages—especially after storms—the absence of a stockpile presents challenges. Our strong relationships with trusted trade yards help us maintain smooth operations most of the time, but when supply runs low, even these relationships face limits.
By diversifying suppliers, building small stock reserves, and staying in communication with our customers, we've been able to manage these challenges and continue providing high-quality fencing services, even when materials are scarce. Through careful planning and flexibility, Sheridan Fencing ensures that we can still meet the needs of our clients, no matter the circumstances.
Sheridan fencing - Dave Relf
FAQ: Fence Material Shortages For Fence Builders
1. Why are there shortages in fencing materials?
Material shortages in the fencing industry are often due to a combination of factors, including high demand (particularly after storms), supply chain disruptions, and increased manufacturing costs. Events such as post-Christmas storms can cause a surge in demand as damaged fences need repairs, while global supply chain issues, like timber shortages or transport delays, can limit the availability of materials.
2. How does a fence material shortage affect installation timelines?
When there’s a shortage of materials, sourcing what we need can take extra time, which may cause delays in completing your fencing project. We do our best to source materials quickly, but shortages mean we may have to visit multiple suppliers, including local fence building companies, which can extend installation timelines. We communicate these delays to customers as early as possible to manage expectations.
3. Why might the price of fencing increase during a shortage?
Shortages often lead to increased prices due to supply and demand. As materials become harder to source, suppliers may raise prices, which impacts the cost of fencing products and services. We always aim to provide competitive pricing, but market conditions may force us to adjust our rates accordingly.
4. How can Sheridan Fencing continue operating during a shortage?
Sheridan Fencing has established strong relationships with three trusted trade yards that provide priority access to materials. These connections help us secure supplies even during shortages, though there are limits when demand is extremely high. In addition, we diversify our supplier network and occasionally maintain small reserves of essential materials to handle short-term shortages.
5. What materials are typically affected by shortages?
The most common fencing materials affected by shortages include timber (wooden fence panels and posts), concrete gravel boards, and sometimes metal fencing products. Timber shortages are especially common, as it is a highly demanded natural resource. We may also experience shortages in specific sizes or styles of panels.
6. Can I choose alternative materials if my preferred option is unavailable?
Yes! If your preferred fencing material is in short supply, we can recommend alternative options that may be available. These could include different types of wood, composite materials, or alternative designs. Local fence building companies may also have suggestions based on current stock.
7. What should I do if I need a fence urgently during a shortage?
If you need a fence installed urgently, we recommend contacting us as soon as possible. While material shortages may impact timelines, the sooner we can assess your needs and secure materials, the better we can plan around any delays. We’ll work with you to find a solution, including considering alternative materials if necessary.
8. Is there anything I can do to avoid delays during a fence shortage?
Planning ahead is the best way to avoid delays. If you know you’ll need a new fence or repairs soon, try to book early, especially around high-demand times like post-storm seasons or holidays. Flexibility with materials or design can also help speed up the process, as we can recommend in-stock alternatives from nearby fence building companies.
9. Does Sheridan Fencing keep a stockpile of materials?
While Sheridan Fencing does not have a dedicated yard, we maintain excellent relationships with our suppliers and, in some cases, hold small reserves of high-demand materials. This allows us to handle short-term shortages, but for larger projects, we still depend on our suppliers’ stock availability.
10. Will you keep me updated if there are delays due to shortages?
Absolutely! We prioritize clear communication with our clients. If there’s a delay in sourcing materials or completing your project due to a shortage, we’ll notify you as soon as possible and work with you to adjust the schedule or find alternatives.
11. Is this a long-term issue, or will material shortages improve?
Material shortages can fluctuate based on global supply chains, economic factors, and demand surges (like after major storms). While some shortages are temporary, others may persist due to ongoing global conditions. We continuously monitor the situation and adapt our operations to ensure we can meet our clients' needs.
The Temporary Nature Of The Material Shortages Faced By Local Fence Building Companies:
While material shortages can create significant challenges for fence builders like Sheridan Fencing, it's important to note that these issues tend to be short-lived. Typically, these supply chain disruptions only occur once or twice every 10 years, usually in the aftermath of major storms that sweep through the Medway, Maidstone, Gravesend, and Sittingbourne regions.
The surge in demand for fence repairs and replacements following these storm events can quickly deplete even the most well-stocked suppliers. However, this temporary crunch usually resolves within a couple of months as the initial rush subsides and normal inventory levels are restored. By leveraging their strong supplier relationships and adaptable strategies, local fence building companies are able to weather these brief periods of material scarcity and resume smooth operations.
So if you find yourself in need of fencing services in the Medway area, even during times of temporary material shortages, don't hesitate to reach out to a trusted local provider. Their experience and forward-thinking approach will ensure your project is completed to the highest standard, regardless of any supply chain challenges.
