Managing supply chain risk in electrical and data projects

AI is driving the largest infrastructure build-outs in decades. But behind the US$57 billion data centre construction industry — which analysts expect to almost double by 2030 — there’s a vulnerability that can derail entire projects: supply chain reliability.

As demand surges, these facilities must be built, commissioned and maintained faster than ever. Electrical switchgear, cabling, network hardware, plant equipment and other specialist components must arrive at the right place, at the right time; and often across complex multi-site projects.

When that supply chain falters, the impact ripples through schedules, labour utilisation and project costs. For the supply chain operators responsible for moving these materials, improving speed, reliability and visibility across their delivery fleets is critical in keeping projects on track.

When supply delays halt progress

Electrical and data infrastructure projects operate on tightly coordinated schedules. Initial construction, electrical installation, network deployment and commissioning phases are all interdependent, meaning a single delayed component can stall multiple teams.

A delayed transformer or switchboard doesn’t simply delay installation by a day or two. It can leave contractors idle, disrupt sequencing across subcontractors, and delay testing and commissioning milestones. The associated costs quickly blow out.

In large infrastructure builds, when delivery schedules slip or contractors have no visibility on their materials, the effect compounds. For supply chain operators, delivery is no longer just a transport task, it’s an operational input that directly affects timelines, budgets and overall project performance.

For distributors managing their own delivery fleets, this means logistics decisions increasingly influence whether projects stay on schedule or fall behind. And their ability to do so directly affects whether they’re retained for future projects.

Speed, visibility and coordination reduce costly downtime

The biggest drivers of disruption are the lack of speed and real-time visibility across the delivery process. Contractors might know when materials are dispatched but have limited insight into their location, delivery timing or potential delays thereafter.

This uncertainty creates friction. Site managers cannot confidently schedule installation crews if they cannot trust delivery timelines. Improving delivery visibility helps supply chain operators become active partners in project delivery rather than passive logistics providers.

Wholesalers such as Mitre 10, which supply a wide range of electrical materials, construction supplies and site equipment, increasingly recognise the importance of this coordination. The company’s ‘Truck Tracker’ application provides real-time tracking, proactive delay notifications and coordinated delivery scheduling that support the completion of projects on time and budget.

As Julian Yule, Digital IT Program Delivery Manager at Metcash — which owns Mitre 10 — explains: “If a truck carrying materials arrives late or incomplete, trades can’t start work. That creates a cost for the contractor. With dynamic route planning and live tracking, we can keep customers informed with accurate ETAs so they know exactly when materials will arrive.”

In the tightly scheduled world of electrical and communications projects, speed is just as critical as visibility. When deliveries are slow, crews can be left waiting onsite, driving labour inefficiencies and delaying downstream work. For supply chain operators, moving materials quickly from warehouse or store to site is a key part of keeping projects on schedule.

Supply chains must move from reactive to proactive

For many years, construction supply chains operated on a relatively simple model. Receive an order, dispatch materials and deliver them to site. But the scale and complexity of modern infrastructure projects — and the expectations of those end recipients — means that model is no longer enough.

Today’s projects require supply chains that operate as part of the project, not adjacent to it. That means closer coordination between contractors and wholesalers so that deliveries align with installation schedules, labour availability and site constraints.

Instead of reacting to orders, supply chain operators increasingly need to anticipate project needs and provide contractors with accurate delivery windows they can plan around. This shift requires stronger delivery visibility, faster dispatch capability and systems that allow project teams to track and coordinate incoming materials.

Adaptability is key, too. If a non-urgent order scheduled as the final drop of the day is suddenly critical, operators must be able to reprioritise in seconds. We built NowGo by Shippit specifically for this — giving supply chain teams the ability to dynamically re-route vehicles, rebalance workloads and keep contractors informed with accurate ETAs.

As projects become larger and more technically complex, the supply chains that succeed will be those that integrate most closely with how projects are actually delivered.

Building the supply chains behind digital infrastructure

The sector is entering a new phase of growth as AI accelerates the construction of data centres and digital infrastructure. But this growth also exposes a key vulnerability in the complexity of modern supply chains.

Electrical contractors, engineers and infrastructure developers increasingly depend on coordinated logistics networks capable of delivering thousands of components across highly synchronised project timelines.

For the supply chain operators supporting these projects, the opportunity is significant. By improving delivery visibility, strengthening coordination with contractors and embracing real-time logistics technology, they can move from simply transporting materials to actively enabling faster project delivery.

As AI accelerates infrastructure demand, the competitive advantage won’t just come from better engineering or deeper capital — it will come from supply chains that can match the speed and complexity these projects require.

Top image credit: iStock.com/halbergman