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Issue 16 September/October 2018
Industry Perspective:  Global Sourcing in the Current Landscape

By Mitchell Rona, Executive Vice President, SIGMA

The current climate is defined by uncertainty. Our turbulent political situation makes the prospect of global sourcing especially daunting, and the recent tariffs have further complicated the landscape. Many companies have come to rely totally on global sourcing and are importing iron components and other materials, exclusively from China. With the recent tariffs targeting goods from China, companies may be facing significant cost increases, and for this reason, should be looking to diversify their supply chains with some urgency.

While "re-shoring" is the buzzword of the moment, the reality is that there are simply not enough domestic producers of iron components to meet the demand at any price, particularly in the short term. Because the primary target of anti-import sentiment and policy seems to be China, prudent supply chain professionals are diversifying their sourcing and approaching providers in India.

Entering the Indian market is challenging. Creating an infrastructure for sourcing, engineering, manufacturing, and trade there requires a sizable commitment of time and money, and this is compounded by the difficulty of transacting business in a developing country. Opening a new supply chain in a new country may not be the right move; choosing an established operator is often a more cost effective and strategic option.

SIGMA cultivated a strong presence in India 33 years ago, and continues to have "boots on the ground" there to ensure that our quality standards are upheld, and US business protocols are followed. SIGMA eliminates the need to open a new supply chain in a new country. Rather than requiring customers to find and develop their own relationships, SIGMA has a turnkey operation, enabling us to deliver quality components with minimal risk and hassle. 

This in-country presence mitigates risk and protects customers from many of the problems they may encounter when sourcing globally. While it is clear that challenges can always arise with this type of enterprise, SIGMA's well-established infrastructure enables us to address issues efficiently and productively. 

With the industry--and the world-in its current state of flux, it is unquestionably strategic to broaden supplier bases, both domestic and global. SIGMA will continue to operate in China and India, as well as domestically, maintaining optimal supply chain efficiency for our customers. What may start off as a prudent and defensive move for a segment of a business could wind up saving significant costs-and protecting the business as a whole.
SIGMA OEM Expands Team
 
SIGMA OEM is pleased to welcome four new members to their offices in the corporate headquarters. With the growth of the business, it was essential to provide additional personnel to meet customer needs and support the sales and development staff for maximum efficiency and service.

Jose Nieves, Associate Business Manager, has joined the team to provide additional end-to-end resources and infrastructure for the OEM division. He will work closely with Executive Vice President Mitchell Rona on supply chain, customer interactions, inventory, finance, product development and analytics. Jose holds a BA in Economics and a minor in Business Administration from Rutgers University. He has sales, service, and management experience, which will translate well in his new role at SIGMA OEM. Jose can be reached at jnieves@sigmaco.com or 1-800-999-2550 x 1272.


The other three new employees are affectionately referred to by EVP Mitchell Rona as "Korey with a K," "Kaitlyn with a K,"and "Cathy with a C."
 
Korey Kinler, Customer Service Representative. Korey responds to customer inquiries and meets customer requests on OEM products. He ensures that SIGMA is supplying the correct items to customer specification, and if an issue arises, he is on hand to provide a rapid, effective solution. Korey can be reached at kkinler@sigmaco.com or 609-496-6082.
 
Cathy Jones, OEM Inside Sales & Customer Service Assistant. Cathy handles OEM Accounting functions including invoicing, credits, debits and other bookkeeping matters. She will also provide customer service support as needed. Cathy can be reached at cjones@sigmaco.com or 1-800-999-2550 x1266.
 
Kaitlyn Bartlett, Business Development Assistant. Kaitlyn processes and sends quotes, and serves as a liaison between customers and suppliers. She can be reached at kbartlett@sigmaco.com or 1-800-999-2550 x 1313
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