Exactly when did Gov. Cuomo and New York hospitals place purchase orders for vast quantities of suddenly urgently needed ventilators, masks, face shields, gowns, hand sanitizers and other critical items? Why didn’t he plan for an unidentified future event? Why didn’t he forecast an outbreak of any unknown health threat and place purchase orders for specific specialized devices with delivery dates during 2019 or earlier when there was no urgent need?
It’s easy to disparage others for being unprepared for a novel event that becomes pandemic, although “novel” means never previously seen in history. Incredible strategic vision helps in planning, but exactly what items, quantities and costs are required for an undefined strategic event? What will taxpayers say if your plan is woefully wrong and purchase costs are wasted?
Manufacturers plan and produce products according to demand forecasts. Manufacturers want sales, but they produce based upon forecasted product demand and reasonable contingency overstocks. When customers do not order unprecedented quantities well in advance, there is little if any product for unexpected surge demand.
Purchase orders that arrive late are subject to delays as component materials must be ordered and received, labor scheduled, production and quality inspections performed, packaging and shipping completed. The underbelly for timely production is supply chain. Manufacturers of record depend upon suppliers of component items who also had no orders, and they may not have all of the materials required to produce unplanned component items.
The depth of a supply chain increases the difficulty to source necessary materials, especially when many subassemblies are produced in China. A ventilator could easily have 100 items sourced by various suppliers.
Gov. Cuomo and many other critics are lifelong politicians with no hands-on manufacturing expertise. However, they do have the platform to disparage and they are exceedingly opportunistic in blaming others.
