The H1N1 virus, or swine flu, isn't the first infectious disease to impact (or, at least, threaten) the supply chain. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) struck Asia in 2003 resulting in a huge disruption in manufacturing and high-tech production with business-changing ramifications leading back here in the U.S. poultry markets. The swine flu is no different than other problems of the past but combined with economic and political uncertainty and the always-looming natural disaster creates a unique perfect storm for supply chain disruptions.
The supply chain seems to always be under attack, and the risks have never been greater to organizations. The key to addressing this is simple in principle but difficult in practice: real-time inventory visibility and ongoing collaboration across the supply chain.
Source: Industry Week