With Brexit fast approaching, UK consumers of bulk inorganic chemicals faced increase supply chain risk. None more so than those in the Water Treatment Industry, who typically sourced from secondary distributors rather than primary manufacturers, and as a consequence did not have clear sight of the origins of the source of key business critical raw materials.

Raw materials market knowledge and clarity in supply chain intelligence is essential for procurement management to control supply chain risk. Many such reports are available from numerous market research organisation – however, few are compiled from primary sources with a full techno-commercial understanding of the supply chain.

The solution required collation of information, and the generation and communication of a report that encompassed a comprehensive technical understanding of: the clients’ and suppliers’ operations, the implications of regulatory and economic factors impacting product pricing and availability, issues of supply chain sustainability and other major risk factors. From a point of knowledge, appropriate informed management decisions could then be taken to mitigate supply chain risk.

In the run-up to Brexit, Blake International generated a generic report, commercially available to multiple UK clients, illuminating the UK and European bulk inorganic chemicals supply chain. The report prepared from primary research by operationally, technically and commercially competent persons, analysed the market by product category, revealing supply and cost interdependencies.  Major manufactures and their capacities were identified along with operational trends.  Distribution channels were detailed and major UK distributors identified. Moreover, import-export data was evaluated indicating key market sources and their vulnerabilities, along with the growing trend for non-European product penetration of the European market.  Major risk factors impacting cost, availability and sustainability, such as those driven by economic factors, demographic movements, climate change and Brexit impacted duty and currency volatility, were analysed in detail.

Clear and comprehensive market intelligence that has permitted clients to analyse and obviate commercial risk within their organisation’s supply chain and contingency plan with greater confidence.