Sometime delays at the port congestion , fluctuations in availability and disruptions to the road and rail systems have to be factored in with the rise and fall of demand , making it necessary to store enough raw materials at the plants to ensure continuity of production . “ Forecasting and planning always depend on market conditions ,” says Kumar . “ It ’ s a kind of rear-view mirror approach , in that where you ’ ve been can often help determine where you ’ re going ; but that does not necessarily help you avoid a multiple car accident on the freeway . However , forecasting gives manufacturing companies a leg-up on these elements of planning and production cycles , companies can operate with more agility , transparency , and flexibility to adapt to changing production environments or schemes .”

Lead times are dependent on the location of the suppliers , he continues . Goods from Canada can take 90 days by sea , whereas from Mumbai the time from dispatch to clearance would be around 40 days . With reliable road and rail links , importing from South Africa is

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— Manoj Kumar , Head of Global Procurement , Motisun

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