It isn’t just inconvenient to run out of an everyday supply or have delayed orders for basic consumables such as syringes or vials; it can derail research timelines and halt daily operations.
In a busy laboratory, this operational downtime threatens to disrupt important daily workflows and productivity. These interruptions don’t just delay results and put important research timelines and production schedules at risk; they can also significantly increase labor costs as your team's ability to work is put on pause for long periods.
There are some practical steps that lab managers can take to keep things running smoothly and avoid the stress from dreaded backorder emails. At Med Lab Supply, we stock a range of essential lab equipment and consumables and pride ourselves on being a strategic partner to help maintain your lab’s momentum through reliable orders and delivery.
Let’s take a look at the steps to efficiently manage procurement and help prevent unplanned downtime for greater peace of mind.
Step #1: Building a Safety Buffer
It can significantly help reduce the risk of downtime and the need for emergency orders by simply maintaining a reliable 30-day safety stock buffer of essentials. Working this into your procurement process for frequently used consumables with a longer shelf life can act as a cushion. Everyday routine supplies can matter just as much as specialized consumables or instruments. So keeping safety stock on hand can help ensure critical experiments don’t have to pause because your lab ran out of a simple supply like a 25-cent syringe.
Incorporating safety stock into your procurement process can help to absorb the setbacks caused by disruptions, such as:
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Shipping delays
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Sudden increases in supply demand
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Manufacturer shortages
This proactive approach keeps your laboratory better prepared to handle the challenges shortages bring before they occur, helping to maintain productivity levels. It can also be beneficial to keep an inventory log or use software to manage and set reorder points for frequently used items, so you know when they are running low and can replenish stock in time without making rushed decisions.
Step #2: Understand Your Usage Rates
Whether you choose to use inventory software or manage reorder points with inventory spreadsheets, it’s important to have a consistent process that your entire team can follow for successful planning. Keeping an inventory log can help you track your usage patterns and purchasing trends over time.
It can be particularly useful to track the usage rates of the highest-volume consumables, such as:
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Chemicals, solvents, and carrier oils
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Sterile vials
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Gloves or PPE gear
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Bottles
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Syringes and needles
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Tubes
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Pipette tips
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Filters
This data takes the majority of the guesswork out by knowing how quickly you are using daily supplies each week, so you can stock up more predictably. Optimizing your supply chain management through better inventory control can also improve resource utilization, reduce unnecessary waste, and allow your lab to stay within budget and maximize cost-efficiency.
It’s recommended to review this information monthly to allow your team to immediately identify if usage trends are shifting and adjust future purchasing quantities accordingly. Additionally, these monthly audits ensure that products with the earliest expiration date are used first and any expired inventory is removed. This ensures a strict First-In, First-Out (FIFO) system.
Step #3: Automated Ordering
When supplies start to dip below your designated safety thresholds, manual reorder points (ROP) or automated purchasing alerts can notify your team and further minimize the risk of delays. This is especially effective when combined with inventory tools such as barcode scanners and RFID systems to track stock in real-time and assist with demand forecasting.
Where manual inventory checks can leave room for human error, automation works with you to assist in preventing this error. And when inventory hits ROP limits, automation has the added advantage of factoring in shipping time.
Step #4: Working with a Trusted Vendor
Working with a reliable supply partner can keep continuity in your workplace so a backorder problem doesn’t become your team’s problem to solve, and doesn’t turn into a costly emergency supply purchase.
A reliable supplier provides accurate and clear inventory availability, offering dependable, fast order fulfilment and trustworthy shipping you need. It lets your team focus on achieving consistent results with supplies they can count on.
Many labs find it beneficial to further simplify procurement by consolidating vendors and purchases. By working with fewer vendors, it can reduce the administrative burden and sourcing time, and ensure more dependable delivery schedules.
We’ve Got You Covered to Help Keep Your Lab Running Smoothly
It doesn’t have to be complicated to stock up when needed without unnecessary interruptions. At Med Lab Supply, we’re here to make your procurement process easier, reduce your lab's risk of unexpected downtime, maintain productivity, and help ensure your timelines stay on track.
Explore our range of high-quality lab supplies, including chemicals and solvents, syringes and needles, sealed sterile glass vials, bottle-top filters, sterilization products, PPE gear, and more.
