Supply Chain challenges: The webcast

The supply chain is sometimes taken for granted. But not when a global pandemic is in effect.

The latest HBSDealer webcast explores the lumber and building material supply chain challenges and best practices with a panel of experts. The replay of the webcast is available here.

Featured speakers include LBM Advantage President and CEO Stephen Sallah, Riverhead Building Supply Director of Purchasing Greg Goodale, and Cameron Ashley Building Products Senior Vice President of Supply Chain and Logistics Warren Arthur.

The panelists shared thoughts on their companies' approaches to social distancing, customer relations, technology and sales activity. 

Business conditions during the unprecedented pandemic were described as part whirlwind, part roller coaster. 

“April business fell off a cliff with construction shutting down (in New York)” Goodale said. "May was better, and then we had unprecedented growth in June. We went from 0 to 100 in sixty days, and it’s been a wild ride.”

Arthur also looked back at early 2020. "Everyone was very optimistic, and the first quarter lived up to that expectation," he said. "Then COVID hits, and it became a challenge to gauge the impact and customer buying habits. How do we keep our people safe, how do we keep our customers safe," he said. 

Sallah cautioned against over reacting to the pandemic in a way that might lead dealers away from the business fundamentals that have made them successful. Still, his advice included the idea that businesses "should be smarter about making more investments in e-commerce." Also, be prepared for future outbreaks. "Don't throw away your plexiglass screens," he said. 

The above comments represent a small fraction of the information shared on the webcast, which is sponsored by Epicor.

Access to the replay is available here for all who register.