TECH & AI
Indeed , some industry experts believe we have already passed that point : noted lawyer and author Dennis Unkovic , for example , says the supply chain was broken not by COVID-19 , but by disruptive factors already in play , such as 3D printing . In fact , Unkovic goes on to say that 3D printing will permanently change the global supply chain as we know it .
“ Supply chain will be upended by 3D printing ,” he says , “ And it will be a reality sooner than most expect .”
Unkovic – who ’ s been named in the Best Lawyers in America list for the past two decades – details how 3D printing will disrupt supply in his explosive new book , ‘ Transforming the Global Supply Chain : Cyber Warfare , Technology , and Politics '.
One-time US Senate legislative counsel Unkovic has been a supply chain lawyer for 35 years , handling international business transactions , mainly between the US and both China and Japan .
Unkovic reminds us that established manufacturing models built on cheap Chinese labour have been coming under pressure for many years . “ Labour costs in China have continuously risen over the past 25 years . This is forcing companies outside China to rethink how and where to locate their sourcing of products and components .
“ This provides perfect economic conditions for 3D printing because it requires little labour and it makes sprawling operating plants in China far less attractive .”
Complex goods perfect for 3D printing Unkovic also believes that the increasingly intricate nature of mechanical and electronic components plays into the hands of 3D printing .
“ If you need to buy a simple component in quantities of thousands or millions , then
“The 3D-printing sector is extremely dynamic , with more than 200 players competing to develop new hardware , software , and materials ”
JÖRG BROMBERGER DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY & OPERATIONS , MCKINSEY
118 January 2023