Covid 19 and the affects on supply and lead times Fortunately, things are now looking more positive in the UK although there are still many manufacturers and suppliers operating reduced capacity, or longer lead times as a result. We have seen our business steadily build since the start of the year as repeat business from our existing customers and also from a number of new ones who were encountering supply problems with their historic suppliers so decided to switch, a big welcome to you. ? There is no doubt that other parts of Europe remain affected by this terrible pandemic to a far greater extent than we are, and this is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. If you have any product manufactured outside the UK please talk to us to see if we can reverse engineer for you. This could avoid so many potential hold ups and disruption for your business. Raw material shortages A concerning trend that we are now seeing due to Covid related reductions in raw material production globally coupled with increased demand from China is some significant shortages of raw materials, sometimes products that normally take days take many months. We are mitigating this by stocking as much raw material as we possibly can, but to help us, and protect yourselves please can you give us forecasts for what you think you will need this year, and wherever possible forward order so we can prebook raw material even if this is many months ahead. Right now there is no immediate sign of this situation changing. Proud to be a British manufacturer Adpol is proud to have been manufacturing in the UK since 1974, and remains a family run business focussed on good quality service, communication and strong relationships with our customers. Like many other UK manufacturers we are promoting this through the Made in Britain Branding above. The UK has a fantastic manufacturing heritage and reputation. Let’s support each other and reduce the risk and cost of cross-border trading wherever possible. In the press We were recently interviewed as part of a recent series on British Manufacturers being run by Manufacturing and Engineering Magazine. The full article can be viewed through this link. It’s always interesting to hear about other manufacturers successes, challenges and views on the future of our sector. Read the article here. Using recycled product in your supply chain If this is something you currently are, or potentially wish to explore then please speak to us as we are currently prototyping new ways to incorporate recycled Silicone up to 100% into our manufacturing processes. This would only ever happen with your full approval, but personally speaking keeping Silicone Rubber out of landfill is an objective that I would love to see progressed. New look brochure We have updated our latest “lite” product catalogue to keep you abreast of the products and material grades that we offer. These include flame retardant extruded sponge profiles, self-lubricating Silicone, Co Extruded (skinned) Silicone Rubber extrusions and thermally conductive Silicones. Copy available to download, view or forward here. Adpol New Appointments We are pleased to congratulate Nicola Brall on her appointment to Quality Manager where she will be overseeing the entire quality system and compliance at Adpol. We also congratulate Jerome Roberty on his appointment as Head of Operations with the remit of centralising and speeding up key decisions and changes across all aspects of customer supply. We are positive about the 2021 outlook and look forward to working with you to grow your business in the future.