Future proof your supply chain
August 31, 2026
By the Blue Print Editorial Team
By the Blue Print Editorial Team
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It’s impossible to eliminate risk entirely, but you can take steps to get ahead of some problems. We asked experts in safety, metalworking, engineering, and Lean practices what people should be on the lookout for and what can be done today to make your supply chain more resilient.
What's a risk that people consistently underestimate?Alex Minton - Lean Solutions Manager: So many are too quick to dismiss an ever-evolving labor force that looks nothing like it did 25-30 years ago. Basic trades and maintenance skills will be heavily sought out and compensated as the market will still demand the need as the supply continues to decline.
Brad Beetch - Director of Metalworking: A risk that people consistently underestimate is the focus of the supply chain beyond the shop floor. Raw material availability, supplier delays, and siloed processes can create significant issues if they aren’t evaluated and addressed ahead of time. Patrick Holahan - Director of Engineering: Too often assembly validation for critical applications gets overlooked. Many fastener challenges stem from either insufficient tightening or over-tightening, and the right torque for an application isn’t always easy to dial in. For critical joints, more care should be taken to validate the right fastener has been selected for the job and that it can be installed consistently and reliably. To do this, an analysis of the joint mechanics and preload requirements should be made as well as validating that the assembly strategy can accomplish the intended preload range. This could mean conducting torque-tension testing to more reliably predict the amount of clamping force a given torque will provide for the application. Torque charts and tables are good starting points, but they don’t always account for the full range of variability a given application may produce, so when it’s a critical application, testing is pertinent to ensure lasting integrity of the assembly. Mason King - National Account Safety Specialist: People often underestimate the risk of not having proper PPE for their teams, especially hand protection. Hand injuries are some of the most common workplace injuries. And roughly 70% of those injuries happen when the proper glove isn’t worn. Sadly, this problem is all too common. Uncomfortable and restrictive gloves will lead to workers going without any gloves, and inevitably, someone will be injured. That’s why finding the right gloves can both reduce injuries and boost productivity. In a tough market, where should teams look to free up labor?BB: Directing your attention to labor tied up in areas that do not focus on the main business objectives. For manufacturers, optimizing your supply chain and repurposing labor to areas that get more parts out the door, reduces unnecessary work, and drives productivity.
PH: Non-value-added handling. Time is money, and it takes time to have assembly operators perform multiple steps and handle multiple parts to accomplish fastener installations. This can be applying thread lockers, assembling flat or lock washers onto bolts or screws, cleaning oil off, or using non-optimized assembly processes like impact drivers along with torque wrenches. There are great solutions to these non-value adding activities, such as using pre-applied thread lockers, flanged fasteners or captive washer assemblies, coatings for corrosion resistance and lubricity, and high-speed torque tools that have torque control built into them. These kinds of solutions help free up labor for more critical work, and the freed labor is often far more valuable than the change in piece price of the fastener. MK: Teams should focus on reallocating labor to the most efficient, value-added activities that best serve their customers. In facilities still manually distributing consumables, exploring supply chain technology can improve efficiency and reduce costs, allowing associates to focus on more impactful work. AM: Partnering with suppliers who invest in their business. Partnering with a company like Fastenal can help offload labor needs by implementing technology into their supply chain to reduce or eliminate certain activities. Also, having a partnership that is local allows the supplier to be agile and create programs to meet the customer’s needs. What's a simple change that often leads to big results?BB: A simple change is clearly defining the current state, then narrowing the focus to the one or two areas that will drive the biggest impact (typically labor, machinery) and the KPIs that matter most to that team.
PH: Proper control of torque. When you have a more robust and validated assembly process, you can avoid failures that slow or stop your line, prevent expensive rework, and prevent warranty claims or failures. Loose bolts succumb to fatigue failure quicker than properly tightened fasteners, so ensuring you are getting adequate torque and therefore adequate preload, you improve the integrity of your fastened assemblies. MK: Implementing a streamlined PPE program typically delivers significant cost savings and reduces injuries. This happens because you’re ensuring employees have the right protection for each task, while consolidating spend across a smaller set of products. AM: Moving high-volume items out of a centralized location to a point-of-use solution. This can be PPE, fasteners, drill bits, rags, etc. When they are stocked and managed in a centralized location, everyone has to play a part in the program. Employees have to walk to the centralized area, employees have to manage and hand out the items, employees need to receive the items, count the items, reorder the items, etc. Moving these parts into a point-of-use inventory device will eliminate most of the work those employees are doing today. After making the switch, it is up to your supplier to maintain and manage those items in a technology program. What's a change teams can make now that will still matter in five years?BB: An impactful change would be adopting technologies and ways to analyze data. This can be used to share information across teams and ultimately drive better decision making.
PH: If you are using a high strength socket product with zinc electroplating, change it now. These have a high risk for hydrogen embrittlement failure. You can go years without experiencing this, but it can happen without warning, and it can be very difficult to resolve and rebuild your end user’s confidence in your product if the embrittlement risk isn’t handled appropriately. There are many alternatives that fully avoid the risk of failure. Changing to a lower hardness fastener grade or changing to a non-embrittling plating or coating are potential solutions that will prevent catastrophic failures for years to come. AM: Implementing EDI solutions into ERP/MRP processes. This will automate a lot of activities that are typically done manually today. Also, partnering with a supplier to handle the general MRO consumables while the customer focuses on dialing in their MRO critical spare parts program and integrating that information into a work order management program. The experts
Brad Beetch
Director of Metalworking Brad helps manufacturers identify inefficiencies and get more value from their operations. His expertise spans machining processes and workflow optimization. 
Patrick Holahan
Director of Engineering Patrick specializes in fastening and assembly performance. He works with customers to improve joint reliability and reduce failures. 
Mason King
National Account Safety Specialist Mason helps organizations reduce risk by building effective PPE programs that improve worker protection and compliance across sites. 
Alex Minton
Lean Solutions Manager Alex helps customers uncover inefficiencies and simplify workflows. He also helps teams implement technology and process improvements that drive long-term operational gains. Summary
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