Challenges

Focusrite is a manufacturer and seller of specialist audio equipment. Its audio interfaces convert analog signals from microphones or electric instruments into a digital signal for use on a PC. The company sells via its own ecommerce site, through wholesale retailer partners, and on marketplace eBay

As the market leader for its product category, the company benefits from customer loyalty, meaning that a slower fulfillment time will not necessarily push a customer to a competitor. However, Operations Manager Marcus Cook still views it as a priority to maintain delivery times down to one or two days.

One of the impacts of Brexit has been that certain carriers have cut off serving the continent due to the increased complexity of various customs processes.

Solution

Cook says that building a more flexible network is a key priority for the business. One aspect of this is building in resilience through a multi-carrier strategy. Focusrite uses Metapack to be able to quickly change between couriers “within five minutes if a courier is down or unable to provide the service we’re after.”

The company wants to look into using a wider range of carriers, including possibly Amazon Logistics. With most of its manufacturing based in China, the need to serve demand quickly meant that some freight had to be shifted from ocean to air, or as Cook admits, from the “most efficient to the least efficient” mode of transport.

Results

“We’ve realized the potential of our supply chain and we’ve been in a position where we can meet a surge in demand without having to worry about internal limitations,” says Cook.

“Using third parties is a godsend.”

Plans for the future may include adding a new third-party logistics (3PL) company in Europe as well as potential consolidation between businesses.