Cornell University: Event shared insights on supply chain challenges and solutions

Alex Colvin PhD ’99, Kenneth F. Kahn ’69 Dean of the ILR School, hosted “Supply Chain in Chaos” on April 14. Dean Colvin interviewed two manufacturing leaders with decades of experience working to source, produce, and deliver apparel to clients around the world.

Duncan Scott ’81, senior vice president of Strategic Sourcing and Quality for New Balance, and Anne Sutanto, vice CEO of PT. Pan Brother Tbk—the largest garment manufacturer in Indonesia—shared their insights on supply chain challenges and solutions.

Duncan noted that the current challenges began back in early 2020, with COVID-related lockdowns imposed in China. As COVID spread to pandemic proportions, nations around the world went into lockdown, causing a massive shutdown in retail operations. This resulted in a huge surge in online shopping and demand for products—creating what Duncan called a “whiplash effect” in the supply chain. The extreme downturn followed by a huge upturn “wreaked havoc” with the supply chain, he explained.