If your business depends on product shipments, you’re well aware that supply chain issues can have a major negative impact, with a risk of forcing operations to shut down completely in the most extreme cases.
Those potential challenges can be exacerbated for a large facility with a 24-7 operation, such as the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns Terminal B, the international terminal at Newark Airport.
The Port Authority was dealing with supply chain issues with a previous Building Services Contractor (BSC).
“The Port Authority was running out of products and didn't have enough systems in place for inventory control,” said Jon Baer, Area Manager for American Paper & Supply Company, an Envoy Solutions company.
When the Port Authority went out to bid for another building service contractor, the government agency ran into a different supply chain issue with the specification (spec) of floor care equipment outlined in the new contract. The equipment was supposed to be available on the first day of work for the building service contractor, but the manufacturer was delayed up to six months on some of the product shipments.
That’s when Envoy Solutions began working with the building service contractor, Crystal Clean MGT LLC, and the Port Authority to identify alternative products from different manufacturers that met their business needs and had significantly faster turnaround times.
The specified products included a wide variety of robotic scrubbers and burnishers used to clean and coat the floors of the airport terminal properly.
Through the vast network of supplier partners within the Envoy Solutions national platform, our team identified high-quality solutions available within weeks rather than months.
“We at Envoy Solutions have the ability within a three-week time frame for a very large-scale startup contract to pivot through the breadth of our other manufacturers. We currently represent about half a dozen floor care equipment manufacturers where the average distributor probably has one or two at best,” said Baer.
If you’re wondering about the results, look no further. Here’s a quick snapshot demonstrating turnaround times from our supplier partners compared to the previous manufacturer on some of the key products:
| Robotic Scrubber | Ride on Scrubber (non-robotic) | Burnishers | Walk Behind Carpet Cleaning Machines | |
| Original Manufacturer | 6 months | 4-6 months | 3 months | 3-4 months |
| Our Supplier Partner | 3 weeks | 3 weeks | Within 2 weeks | Within 3 weeks |
“We saved the Port Authority from being unable to do the job at all. They literally couldn’t do 30-40% of the work without this equipment,” said Baer.
However, simply identifying a supplier with faster turnaround times solved only part of the problem. We also had to ensure that the quality of the floor care equipment met the high standards that the client expected. Then, we educated them about the machines, so they have trust and confidence in making the decision to switch manufacturers.
If we don’t ensure the quality of our products, then our customer, the building services contractor, could face several negative consequences, including:
- Increase in consumer complaints
- Decrease in efficiency
- Fines
- Termination of contract
To avoid that scenario, our team had to perform a full assessment of the terminal, research alternative manufacturers, and have a clear understanding of the Port Authority’s original specifications.
“Once I had that information, I knew the lead times that we could procure in a timely fashion, and then I set up meetings with the Port Authority and the building services contractor. I explained that, based on our experience, our supply chain management, and our ability to go to the marketplace and work with multiple vendors, I was able to secure these products to meet the specs and spirit to perform the job exactly as needed or better,” said Baer.
When determining whether the floor care equipment met the high standards in the Port Authority’s original spec, our team carefully looked at several factors:
- Brush motor size
- Cleaning path capacity
- Reputation of the manufacturer
- Duration of the warranty
“The end result is the Port Authority was able to start on a timely basis. The building service contractor was able to perform based on the specifications of the contract, and most importantly, the client is happy with the result and will hopefully award the contract again.”
Other large facilities, such as hospitals and hotels, that run 24-7 could face similar challenges as the Port Authority if there are supply chain disruptions.
Are you dealing with supply chain issues for products or equipment that are critical for your business operation? Click below to reach out to us, and our experts will leverage the scale of our national platform to find effective, efficient, and timely solutions to keep your business operating at the highest level.
