Reliability Is Now The Only Advantage That Matters’

Market Intelligence

Reliability Is Now The Only Advantage That Matters’

Sourcing in 2026 is no longer driven by cost alone. Geopolitics, trade realignments, and risk exposure are forcing buyers to rethink how - and where - they place orders.

Buyers are booking smaller volumes, more frequently, with shorter timelines and zero tolerance for disruption. Price pressure remains, but reliability, compliance, and supply continuity now decide who stays on the supplier list.

Digitalisation is no longer optional. AI-enabled forecasting, production planning, quality monitoring, and traceability systems are actively shaping vendor selection. ERP integration and digital product development are becoming entry requirements, not innovation stories.

Brands are consolidating vendors and locking into longer-term, program-based partnerships. Sustainability and traceability are now hard-coded into vendor scorecards—not marketing claims.

If I were running a mill today, I would immediately exit low-margin, non-differentiated commodity products. They consume capacity, invite complaints, and offer no strategic future. Staying in them is a race to the bottom.

What mills consistently underestimate is not price sensitivity, but buyer intolerance for instability. Poor data, slow responses, inconsistent compliance, and weak communication are deal-breakers.

In 2026, transparency is the baseline. Traceability, compliance discipline, and delivery reliability determine survival.

The mills that win will not be the cheapest, but the most dependable.

Digitalisation is no longer optional. AI-enabled forecasting, production planning, quality monitoring, and traceability systems are actively shaping vendor selection. ERP integration and digital product development are becoming entry requirements, not innovation stories.

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