Andrew Downard on tariffs
From Supply Chain Rewired: Episode 7 - Andrew Downard · · ketteQ
“Many companies found they didn't have tariff codes in their master data, which made it very hard to do rapid cycling analysis. You have to fix problems like that proactively because you don't want to be behind when the disruption happens. Then you need to have the right technology available to make use of that data.”
On , Andrew Downard, Chief Supply Chain Officer at MATIV HOLDINGS INC, spoke about tariffs during Supply Chain Rewired: Episode 7 - Andrew Downard on ketteQ.
About Andrew Downard
Andrew Downard, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Mativ Holdings, has discussed the prevalence of manual processes in supply chain management, stating that many supply chains still rely on spreadsheets and emails, which he said can break down during disruptions. He emphasized the importance of data quality and technology, noting that companies often lack basic data such as tariff codes in their master data, which complicates rapid analysis amid fluctuating tariffs. Downard described resilience and anti-fragility as new terms for supply chain professionals in response to disruptions like global political events and supplier issues. Downard also commented on the evolving role of supply chain professionals, stating that supply chain now regularly has a seat at the table due to ongoing disruptions. He highlighted the potential of natural language interaction with supply chain planning systems, suggesting that allowing non-experts, such as salespeople, to query data in real time could be transformative. He noted that open architecture and data visibility are increasingly important in deployments.