Webinar Recording: Insolvency, Now What? – Recognizing Early Warning Signs, Protecting Supply Chains, Staying Capable of Action

The risk of supplier failures has fundamentally changed. Rising energy costs, high interest rates, weakening demand, and geopolitical uncertainties are putting even established mid-sized companies in jeopardy – with consequences for procurement and supply chains. In the webinar "Insolvency, Now What?", Jana Maass (Tacto) shows how to respond to these risks in a structured way: Recognizing early indicators, analyzing affected suppliers and articles in a targeted manner – and deriving measures at the click of a button. Concrete practical examples show how dangerously this topic is underestimated – and how Tacto helps secure supply capability and operational readiness.

Starting Point – When Supplier Insolvencies Become a Real Stress Test

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Insolvencies hit companies more frequently today – and harder. It becomes particularly problematic when strategically important suppliers are affected: Not only do individual orders stall, but entire production lines, projects, and customer relationships come under pressure. Contractual penalties, quality risks, and additional costs are often the consequence – especially when no structured emergency plans are in place.

For procurement, this means: Identify risks early, assess them validly, and take targeted countermeasures – before the worst case occurs.

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Understanding Supplier Insolvency – and Detecting It Early

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• Properly classify insolvency proceedings
  Those who understand the process – from liquidity bottlenecks through preliminary proceedings to restructuring or liquidation – can better assess the impact on their own processes.
• Monitor financial early warning signs
  Unusual payment terms, rising dunning rates, or requests for prepayment are early indicators of dwindling liquidity.
• Take operational signals seriously
  Frequent delivery delays, partial shipments, quality defects, or material substitutions often point to deeper underlying problems.
• Establish transparency on market & environmental risks
  Geopolitical tensions, demand slumps, or regulatory pressure can undermine a supplier's business model – often before the numbers show it.
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From Practice – Tangible Insights

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• Concrete insolvency cases show how quickly financial risks impact operational processes and supply chains.
• The examples make clear: Without forward-looking risk analysis, supply bottlenecks and high follow-up costs are imminent.
  
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Making Risks Visible and Manageable

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Without structured risk assessment mechanisms, companies remain vulnerable to shock effects. Today, what is needed is:

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• Transparency on risk factors at the supplier and product level – such as payment terms, dependencies, quality, or ESG obligations.
• Standardized evaluation logic to automatically detect and compare early indicators.
• Structured escalation management that prepares operational measures from the first warning through to alternative activation.

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Conclusion

‍Supplier insolvencies are becoming a real risk – with consequences for material flow, quality, and project timelines. Those who recognize indicators, assess risks in a structured way, and prepare escalation paths secure their ability to act even in emergencies. Digital transparency with Tacto helps turn early warning signs into concrete measures – making risk management an active steering instrument in procurement.

Jana Maass (Tacto) shows how companies can be prepared for supplier insolvencies – with a focus on early indicators, clear escalation paths, and structured risk analyses. Practical examples illustrate how quickly operational problems arise from financial difficulties – and why procurement teams today need to actively monitor processes, partners, and products. With Tacto, risks can be identified, assessed, and managed early – before they jeopardize the supply chain.