From crisis to control: how supply chain disruptions forced meat producers to rethink consumables

Let's take a look at a story that unfolded just recently. For many meat producers in Canada and the US, the years 2020–2022 have been a wake-up call.

It all started with COVID-19, followed by global problems such as delivery bottlenecks, raw material shortages, and geopolitical instability. All these factors showed how fragile global supply chains really were — even for small, “inexpensive” goods such as sausage clips. Statistics show that market giants were hit hardest and their customers experienced the most stress.

So what is happening now? Let's fast forward to 2025 and see how the industry has changed. Changes in supply chains amid geopolitical instability continue, with traffic wars, various military conflicts, and other factors still affecting supplier companies. So what should meat producers in Canada and the US do in such conditions?

KOMPO North America Inc. believes that trust in stable and local suppliers is growing and strengthening in times like these. They trusted us back then, and these problems didn't affect them at all.

But let's talk about what happened and how it changed purchasing forever.

How we got here: a chain reaction that broke the chain

Until 2020, most consumables, including sausage clips, were supplied by foreign suppliers. European brands dominated the market, and few questioned the system because it worked well.

Then the disruptions began:

• Delays in shipments from China and Europe
• A sharp rise in aluminum prices
• Customs delays at ports in the US and Canada
• Equipment downtime due to a lack of consumables
• Forced changes to production schedules and recipes

For some processors, the absence of a single box of clamps led to the shutdown of an entire sausage production line for several days.

This was a turning point.

Shift: Local superiority over global

We believe that starting in 2025, a new strategy will become clear, and the demand will be as follows:

“We need a clamp supplier that keeps inventory in North America and can deliver next week, not next quarter.”

Here's how processors are changing their approach:

• Old thinking (before 2020) New thinking (2025)
• Lowest price per clamp Most reliable delivery and support
• Timely delivery from Europe Inventory in Canada or the US
• 3–6 week lead time 1–3 day delivery
• Branded = safe Tested in the local market = safe enough

Only one supplier Dual sources of supply to reduce risks

It's not about fear — it's about sustainability. As a manufacturer, you are dependent on the supply of clips, and at times like these, you can say with certainty that quality and stability of supply are more important than the logo on the box.

What manufacturers say

"We ordered sausage clips from a German manufacturer. But we encountered certain problems, one of which was delivery speed. Placing an order for two months and receiving it three months later put us in a position where we urgently needed to find a replacement.

We found KOMPO North America.

We quickly tested the product and placed an order. Imagine our surprise when the order arrived the next morning. The company representative delivered it himself to Toronto early in the morning, and we were able to continue working without any delays. The price was much lower than our previous supplier's, and there were no additional customs or other fees.

There was another thing that impressed us. We knew they had their own clippers and other equipment for sausage and meat producers. We didn't need to buy new equipment, but we were having problems with our clipper. The pneumatic drive was malfunctioning and not providing the right amount of pressure.

We scheduled a visit from the manufacturer's technical specialist, but he was only available in four weeks, which meant that downtime was inevitable. A Kompo specialist was passing nearby, so we asked him to stop by.

Less than an hour later, our clipper was working again. To be honest, I was very happy that Kompo has specialists who can repair equipment from other brands.

— Operations Director, Toronto

"You know, sometimes problems just come out of nowhere. That's what happened to us. We were simply told that it was difficult to find clips for our clipper. We are a small company and our clipper is quite old. Of course, we immediately started looking for an alternative. We found KOMPO North America Inc and explained the situation.

Their warehouse is in London, Ontario, Canada, which is not very far from us, and two days later we received samples for testing. One day was enough for all the tests and quality control. The managers also gave us manuals in case something went wrong with the testing, but we didn't need them.

We placed a fairly large order for us, as we decided to keep our own stock of clips. This was not a problem for the company. We received a whole pallet of clips in less than a week.

I was curious if they had any more, just in case, and the answer was yes. Since then, we have been buying loops and heat-shrinkable bags from them and have not experienced any shortage of consumables.

— Plant Director, Michigan

Key lessons from the crisis in procurement

Diversification or risk of disaster.

Folk wisdom says, “Don't put all your eggs in one basket.” The strategy of choosing a single supplier is flawed and leads to dependence. In essence, this is a very narrow spot that will inevitably let you down in a critical situation.

Starting in 2025, meat processors and sausage manufacturers must have at least two suppliers in reserve, even if they are not ready to switch or make changes right away.

Check and certify in advance

Waiting until the situation becomes critical is a sure path to failure. It is worth thinking ahead and taking samples in advance to test them yourself and learn all the finer details so that changing suppliers does not become a problem for you when the time comes.

You may even want to order small batches from an alternative supplier to obtain accurate data and recorded specifications.

Work with suppliers who store goods on site

We recommend researching and compiling a list of suppliers with permanent warehouses and full availability. This reduces delivery times, customs issues, and risks. For example, KOMPO stores all major types of clamps in Canada and delivers them quickly throughout North America.

Reliability is the new competitive advantage

People in the food industry often talk about yield, labour costs, and taste, but they seem to pay little attention to consumables—which can make or break your shift.

A box of clips worth $720 (40,000 clips) can completely shut down a line worth $3,000 an hour or more.

That's why, starting in 2025, many processors are taking back control and additional insurance over their production.

If you still rely on a single supplier for clips, hinges, casings, and other consumables, ask yourself:

“What is our backup plan?”

Because when the next failure occurs, it will be too late to think about it.