took an aggressive, proactive approach. In early 2020, as uncertainty grew, the company stockpiled more than a year’s supply of critical chemicals. That decision shielded the business from shortages and extreme lead times that later stretched as far as 18 months for certain inputs. Costs rose, but access to essential materials remained stable, allowing production continuity during a period when many industrial operations were forced into reactive mode. If supply chain was manageable, labor became the defining challenge. Like many manufacturers, Sapphire faced a severe hiring environment during and after the pandemic. Leadership described an 74 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 13, ISSUE 02
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