A good supply chain is key to being competitive, profitable and to encourage growth. All companies must constantly challenge their current supply assumptions and the relevance of current practices. Hanging on to the belief that you can stay competitive while your competitors are sourcing from lower cost countries may protect local jobs in the immediate term but may actually jeopardise the whole enterprise in the medium and longer term.

Loose cannon theory  - "If there is a loose cannon out there the first thing is to stop it shooting at you. If you can then turn it round to get it shooting at your enemies - fine. If you can get it onto your ship while at the same time shooting at your enemies - even better!" - Ian Pogson

Many major UK manufacturers now realise that it would have been better to collaborate with low-cost overseas suppliers and find ways for some form of mutual benefit. They might have been able to guide and direct them. They might have retained control of key elements of those industries within the UK – e.g design, specification, quality control and distribution. Our traditional industries would still have changed out of all recognition but we would have been left with more of an industrial/manufacturing base than the one we actually now have. - Turning the loose cannon!