Samantha Overton: Supply Chain Strategies for 2026

Tell us a little about Zebra Print and its core offering. How has it developed and transformed over the years?

Zebra Print Group is a family-owned, full-service print and brand solutions provider, established in 2006. We deliver end-to-end print services including digital, litho, large-format, web, packaging, signage, and branded merchandise. Everything we do is rooted in quality, reliability, and a highly personal, consultative approach.

Over the years, we’ve evolved from a traditional commercial print supplier into a strategic brand partner for clients across retail, hospitality, property, corporate, and events sectors. The biggest transformation has been our mindset: moving beyond transactional print to becoming solutions-driven. We now focus heavily on smarter procurement, automation, sustainability, and workflow optimisation to deliver better efficiency and resilience.

While we’re proud of our Yorkshire heritage and family-business foundations, we’ve built national reach and export capability. The constant has always been our commitment to craftsmanship and client relationships; the evolution has been about scale, innovation and agility.

Looking back at your recent experience as a company, did you find any “blind spots” in your print supply chain that needed rectifying, and how did you solve them?

Yes - like many in the industry, the volatility of the past few years exposed over-reliance on certain material streams and extended global lead times.

One blind spot was assuming consistency in substrate availability. Paper grades and specialist materials that had historically been readily available suddenly became unpredictable. We addressed this by mapping our supply chain more thoroughly, building closer relationships with multiple suppliers, and qualifying alternative materials in advance rather than reactively. We also improved internal forecasting and created clearer contingency pathways for key product lines.

Perhaps most importantly, we strengthened communication, both upstream with suppliers and downstream with clients, so that challenges could be flagged early rather than escalated late.

What specific operational adjustments are proving most effective at mitigating unpredictable lead times?

Forward planning and transparency have been critical. We’ve tightened up forecasting, particularly for repeat national rollouts and seasonal campaigns, and we now place provisional holds on stock for key clients and build additional buffer time into complex projects.

Operationally, smarter procurement systems and closer supplier collaboration have reduced last-minute surprises. Automation has also played a role – by streamlining artwork approvals and workflow processes, we’ve removed internal bottlenecks, meaning production can start immediately once materials are secured.

Diversification of print methods, such as digital versus litho for example, also gives us flexibility to pivot depending on material availability and timelines.

With raw material and shipping costs remaining volatile, can transparent pricing models help printers protect their margins without alienating customers?

Absolutely. In uncertain markets, clients understand that volatility exists – what damages relationships is surprise, so transparency is key in building trust.

We’ve found that open conversations about material movements, freight costs, and alternative specifications strengthen partnerships rather than weaken them. Offering tiered options, such as presenting a premium stock alongside a more cost-stable alternative, allows clients to make informed decisions.

Protecting margins isn’t about inflating prices – it’s about proactive communication, clear scoping, and ensuring projects are specified correctly from the outset.

How important is it for printers to consider diversifying their supplier base to avoid over-reliance on a single region or vendor?

I would say it’s essential. At Zebra Print Group, we champion British manufacturing and Yorkshire-based production wherever possible, but we also maintain a carefully balanced network of trusted partners to avoid over-reliance, which creates vulnerability.

Diversification doesn’t mean abandoning long-term relationships – it means building resilience into them. A healthy supplier base allows flexibility on pricing, materials, and turnaround, as well as ensuring continuity if one channel experiences disruption.

Have you personally adjusted your sourcing mix to balance the cost-effectiveness of global vendors with the reliability of more local, near-shore suppliers?

Yes, and it’s been a deliberate strategic decision. Global vendors can offer cost efficiencies, particularly on certain promotional merchandise lines, but near-shore and UK suppliers often provide shorter lead times, reduced freight risk, and improved sustainability credentials.

We now evaluate sourcing decisions on a wider matrix – not just cost but also speed, carbon impact, risk exposure, and client priorities. In many cases, clients are increasingly valuing reliability and sustainability alongside price.

How can digital tools, such as AI-driven forecasting or real-time cost tracking, provide the early warning signals needed to pivot before a minor delay becomes a major production stoppage?

Digital tools are transformative when used intelligently. AI-driven forecasting helps identify ordering patterns and predict seasonal demand spikes, allowing us to secure materials earlier. Real-time cost tracking flags fluctuations quickly, so quotes can be reviewed before margins are eroded.

Workflow automation also reduces manual errors and shortens approval cycles, meaning production time isn’t lost internally. In short, data reduces guesswork, and in volatile supply environments, clarity is power.

As I’ve said previously, AI is a tool that enhances people rather than replaces them. It gives us foresight, but human judgement remains central.

Are there any “emergency” measures you took which you then decided to keep as a permanent part of how Zebra Print operates?

During peak volatility, we introduced more structured supplier reviews and more frequent internal production meetings to monitor risk. What began as crisis management has now become best practice.

We also became more rigorous in qualifying alternative materials and backup production routes – something we now maintain permanently. Resilience is no longer a reaction, it’s part of our operational DNA.

Is there any other advice you would like to give to printers navigating supply chain disruption in today’s industry?

I would say be proactive, not reactive. Map your risks before they materialise.

Invest in relationships, both with suppliers and clients. Transparency builds loyalty during difficult periods. Diversify intelligently, embrace data, and don’t underestimate the value of internal culture. A calm, empowered team handles disruption far more effectively than a reactive one.

Finally, don’t let supply challenges distract from innovation. The printers who will thrive are those who combine operational resilience with creativity, sustainability, and smart technology.