Manufacturers stay worried about supply chain disruption despite stronger resilience confidence

New research from Supply Technologies finds 82% of manufacturing professionals expect supply chain disruption in the next 12 months, even as 80% rate their current resilience at 7 out of 10 or higher. The findings, released at IMTS 2026, point to tariffs, logistics, geopolitics and shortages as top risks and show manufacturers are using inventory, supplier diversification and nearshore sourcing to prepare.

Why it matters: - Manufacturers are preparing for supply chain shocks even as many feel more confident in their current defenses. - The findings point to a widening gap between perceived resilience and the scale of risks still facing production. - More than half of respondents estimate one hour of downtime costs between $10,000 and $250,000, underscoring the financial stakes of disruption.

What happened: - Supply Technologies released the State of Supply Chain Resilience 2026 study at IMTS 2026. - The international research found 82% of manufacturing professionals are concerned about supply chain disruption over the next 12 months. - 80% rated their organization’s current supply chain resilience at seven out of 10 or higher. - 94% said supply chain resilience is a higher business priority than it was five years ago.

The details: - Tariffs and trade policy ranked as the top expected risk for the next year, cited by 62% of respondents. - Transportation and logistics followed at 54%. - Geopolitical instability came next at 44%. - Material shortages rounded out the major risks at 42%. - Manufacturers are responding by increasing inventory, cited by 64% of respondents. - 54% are diversifying suppliers. - 48% are expanding nearshore or regional sourcing. - 46% are investing in forecasting and demand planning. - Respondents also said supply chain partners are more valuable when they reduce administrative burden and manage complexity. - Inventory management was valued by 68% of respondents. - Visibility into inventory and orders was valued by 66%. - Supplier diversification was valued by 58%. - Engineering support was valued by 54%. - Forecasting and planning support was valued by 52%. - The State of Supply Chain Resilience 2026 is available to download from Supply Technologies. - The company also shared the full study.

Between the lines: - The results suggest manufacturers are no longer treating disruption as a distant risk. - Brian Norris, president of Supply Technologies, said manufacturers now need to focus on preparedness, not just awareness. - Norris said dual sourcing only works when alternative suppliers are already assessed and qualified to meet technical, quality and production standards. - The emphasis on inventory, visibility and support services shows manufacturers want partners that can absorb complexity, not just sell parts.

What's next: - Manufacturers are likely to keep building buffers through inventory, sourcing diversification and planning tools. - Supply chain partners that can prove resilience, visibility and qualified backup options may gain more importance as risk planning becomes a bigger business priority. - Supply Technologies is positioning its services around reducing administrative load and helping customers mitigate disruption before it reaches production.