Supply Chain Risk: When Your Factory Can't Get Materials

What happens when your modular factory can't get materials? Supply chain risk doesn't disappear in modular construction—it moves to the factory, where you have no visibility and limited control. Then your modules are late and your schedule is blown. In this episode of Built Different, we examine how modular concentrates supply chain risk at the factory. The COVID years exposed this vulnerability when factories couldn't get steel, appliances, windows, or MEP components. Lead times stretched from weeks to months while developers watched helplessly. Topics covered: How modular concentrates vs. distributes supply chain exposure Factory visibility gaps: supplier relationships and inventory levels Lessons from COVID-era supply chain disruptions in modular Due diligence questions on factory supply chain management Why contract protections have limits when factories can't deliver Who this episode is for: Developers evaluating factory partnerships, procurement managers at modular factories, general contractors managing modular schedules, and risk managers assessing supply chain exposure. Key takeaway: The real protection is selecting factories with supply chain resilience—sophisticated procurement, buffer inventory, multiple suppliers—and building schedule contingency into your project plan. Built Different is produced by Spring Street Management Group. New episodes on modular construction risk, off-site building supply chain, and volumetric construction drop every weekday at 6 AM Pacific.]]>