For ‘Roads Review’ this edition, we asked the industry: What have been some of the biggest supply issues for your company/industry this year and how have you/your members overcome them?
Sarah Bachmann, CEO, National Precast
Across all states, the precast concrete industry is encountering shortages in skilled workers and steel supply. Add to the existing array of infrastructure projects already underway, a massive post-COVID project pipeline will create an immediate and widened gap between the supply of, and demand for, skilled labour. With international borders remaining shut and limited opportunity to source skilled overseas workers, a roadmap to address the shortages is desperately needed. National Precast calls on the National Skills Commission to urgently update its current Skills Priority List, and in the meantime is turning its own resources to develop its own Certificate in Precast Concrete.
Dan Goodfellow, Group Manager – Products, Coates
Coates manages a large and highly diversified $1.75 billion fleet, spread across 20 product categories and to ensure we continue to provide our customers quality equipment, we are continually refreshing fleet across all product categories.
COVID-related disruptions to equipment supply chains over the past 18 months have posed a significant challenge for the industry, particularly as most large equipment is sourced from Europe, US or China. However, the strong strategic relationships we have with our major supply partners has ensured continuity of new equipment flow albeit we have experienced some delays in equipment deliveries.
It is anticipated that global demand for equipment will continue to increase over the next couple of years placing further pressure on equipment manufacturers and their supply chain. To counter this, we are already planning for and placing orders for FY23 and beyond to ensure we continue our long history of having quality equipment available for our customers when they need it.
This column initially appeared in the November edition of Roads & Infrastructure magazine. Read the magazine here.
If you or anyone in your organisation are interested in contributing to the column, please contact the editor at tara.hamid@primecreative.com.au
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