By Operations Team: SPM
Every year ends the same way. Production targets tighten, people go on leave, and the supply chain slows in ways that are predictable but still disruptive. Operations teams who prepare for these shifts protect their maintenance windows, keep projects moving, and enter the new year with fewer surprises. The pressure is real, but it is manageable when the right checks are made early.
- Global logistics move more slowly in December
Ports experience congestion, carriers re-route, and freight handlers work through heavier volumes. Imported components take longer to land. Any item linked to international shipping should be ordered well before the final push of the year. - Local transport capacity becomes limited
Many transport companies scale down during the festive period. Driver availability drops, and scheduling becomes tighter. Routine deliveries of spares and consumables take longer than usual, and this can affect planned maintenance work. - Suppliers close for part of December and early January
OEMs, fabrication shops, and specialist component suppliers pause operations or run on limited staff. Teams often discover this only when trying to place an urgent order. Knowing these shutdown dates early prevents stalled projects and idle crews. - Lead times stretch for specialist electrical components
Transformers, breakers, relays, and GIS parts follow longer production and refurbishment cycles as the year wraps up. Even small delays have a knock-on effect on systems that are waiting for final parts to complete a repair or upgrade. - Courier networks shift their capacity
Consumer volumes peak in December, which affects the speed of business deliveries. Small but critical items arrive later than expected. This matters when the entire job depends on a single tool or calibration instrument. - Cross-border shipments slow down
Border posts often operate on reduced teams and experience seasonal congestion. This affects any operation that relies on component movement between countries or regional warehouses. - Vendor response times drop
Key account managers, technical representatives, and support teams take annual leave. Communications slow. Queries take longer to resolve. Quotes take time to reach your inbox. This becomes visible when a project is already running on a tight calendar. - Pricing can shift before the new financial year
Some suppliers update pricing near year-end or release new schedules effective in January. Keeping track of these changes helps teams secure favourable terms before budgets close. - Repairs and refurbishments take longer to complete
Workshops reduce capacity during the festive season. Equipment that needs diagnostics or refurbishment enters longer queues. This influences shutdown planning and turnaround times. - Running low on critical spares increases risk
Procurement delays often push teams to stretch inventory further than intended. A year-end spares audit prevents avoidable downtime and gives operations a cleaner start to the following year.
Why contingencies matter at year-end
End-of-year operations succeed when contingencies are treated as part of the plan, not as a reaction to failure. This period calls for deliberate buffers in schedules, additional stock for critical components, and clear escalation paths when suppliers or transport partners are unavailable.
Effective contingency planning includes confirming alternative suppliers, identifying interchangeable components, locking in transport capacity early, and defining decision thresholds for postponing or re-sequencing work. It also means ensuring that decision-makers remain reachable during leave periods and that authority is clear when fast calls are required.
When contingencies are built into year-end planning, operations teams maintain momentum even when the supply chain slows. The result is not only fewer disruptions in December, but a more stable and predictable start to the year ahead.
