As we move past Labor Day, we're seeing a familiar pattern from our procurement and operations contacts: material planning for Q4 starts in earnest right now, not in October.
Lead times across the broader distribution market tend to stretch as the calendar year closes, driven by everyone trying to wrap projects before winter slowdown. Waiting until a project is already underway to source material adds real risk to a schedule that's already tight.
With over 8,000 metal types, shapes, and grades in stock at our Marietta location, a significant share of common project material needs can be filled same-day or next-day, without the extended lead times larger national distributors are often working with in this window.
For teams managing multiple concurrent projects, having a local supplier who can absorb schedule pressure without adding lead time is a meaningful advantage heading into a busy final quarter.
How is your team approaching Q4 material planning this year, further ahead than usual, or business as normal?
#Procurement #SupplyChain #Manufacturing
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