PANDEMIC PLANNING
B y Den ise Devea u
Where’s my stuff?
KEEPING UP WITH DEMAND DURING COVID IS A DELICATE BALANCE
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fter the March 2020 shutdown, essential businesses − including HVAC/R and plumbing suppliers − had to scramble to keep things up and running. “There was no playbook for pandemic planning when this started,” says Chris Choquette, vice president of Western Canada for Wolseley Canada in Vancouver, adding that about 80 per cent of business was done through its branches versus online. “We had to learn on the fly.” Suppliers had to repurpose showrooms to allow for curbside pickup, move to virtual collaboration between staff and customers, invest in barriers and distancing signage, extend delivery hours, and leverage whatever technology they could – from text-based ordering to ecommerce upgrades. Some of these measures have unlocked potential benefits that will help them in the long term. “The lockdown brought out some areas we needed to sharpen up,” says Diana Di Carlo, marketing and retail manager at Desco Plumbing and Heating Supply Inc. in Mississauga, ON. “It led to a technology revolution for us, which is great.” Wholesalers also pivoted to virtual meetings and showroom visits to various degrees. Some extended delivery hours. Many implemented text-based ordering capabilities to streamline processes. And almost everyone turned to Zoom or other platforms to connect with staff and
THE SUPPLY CHAIN DILEMMA The biggest challenge that has impacted short- and long-term operations has been supply chain disruption − from shipping delays and manufacturing shutdowns, to labour shortages and construction delays. As a result, wholesalers have had to figure out how to manage inventory levels without over- or under-investing while keeping pace with fluctuating demand from their customer base. The eastern part of Canada was particularly hard hit, says Neil McDougall, president, The Master Group, in Boucherville, QC. “Quebec and Ontario were the hardest hit as construction sites were closed at the request of the provincial governments.” Everything paused during the initial lockdown, but when construction activity came back, the backlog in demand for products was overwhelming, Di Carlo says. “It was like turning on a hydrant. Everyone was scrambling to get things done. The frenzy depleted stock levels at manufacturers.” At the same time, manufacturers themselves were struggling to get the components to complete fabrication. Bill Davis, vice president and general manager at Ecco Heating Products Ltd. in Langley, BC, says even with their own production plants in Calgary and Langley, it wasn’t easy. “Absolutely there were issues on the supply side. It wasn’t as bad at first. It became worse later on. A lot of manufacturers were able to pre-build for the cooling season, but as we got further into COVID, we saw more and more supply chain issues downstream with furnaces. Manufacturers weren’t getting components, and didn’t have enough people in the plants to make them.”
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