THE SUPPLY CHAIN INTERVIEW
The global supply chain conversation is no longer centred solely on transactional sourcing or securing the lowest unit price. Instead, organisations are increasingly focused on how quickly they can build operational ecosystems capable of withstanding disruption. Geopolitical tensions, fluctuating material costs and sudden tariff changes have fundamentally reshaped supply chain priorities, pushing resilience to the forefront of procurement strategy.
Few industries understand this challenge better than rail transport, where globally distributed supply chains must meet strict quality and safety standards while managing immense operational complexity.
“ I would say there is a massive shift in terms of resilience,” says Bhavik Pathak, Director and Head of Supplier Quality for the Americas Region at Alstom.
“ The value has changed. It’ s not very typical or traditional sourcing activities. Now, the value has shifted because we want to have a solid supply chain across the board.”
Alstom is one of the world’ s largest rail manufacturers, designing and supplying everything from high-speed trains and trams to signalling systems and rail maintenance solutions. The company operates across 63 countries with more than 83,000 employees globally. In the Americas region alone, it employs around 12,000 people spanning operations from Canada to Argentina.
28 June 2026