Just-in-time delivery for construction: Benefits and risks

Construction has long been an industry of delays, stalls, and slow turnaround times. As project demand rises, however, many construction material distributors are looking to improve their delivery performance. Here’s what just-in-time delivery is, and what the benefits and risks are with getting started. 

What is just-in-time delivery?

Just-in-time (JIT) is an inventory and delivery strategy in which parts, materials, or products are delivered at the moment they’re needed for a construction project. The alternative, storing large quantities of product beforehand, creates more waste and drives up inventory holding costs.

By using a JIT approach, distributors can minimize inventory while maximizing operational efficiency. The JIT strategy requires a routine, reliable supply chain and meticulous coordination between receivers and suppliers to ensure deliveries are, well, just in time. 

Why it’s a must-have in modern construction

Today, everyone is aiming for greater efficiency and faster project completion to keep up with construction demand. With retail delivery faster than ever, other industries, such as the trades, are expected to keep up to date. To keep up with an increasingly competitive market, savvy distributors must adopt a JIT strategy to outperform the competition. 

Just-in-time delivery: 5 benefits

1. Improved cash flow and cost efficiency

When materials are delivered exactly as needed, contractors avoid paying for items too far in advance of installation. This helps preserve a modest cash flow, which is ideal for managing multiple jobs or a multi-phase megaproject. JIT also reduces hidden fees and costs, including storage fees, damaged goods, double-handling, and missing materials. 

By ordering right when the materials are needed, teams avoid over-ordering, and distributors avoid overproduction. 

2. Reduced on-site material storage

JIT delivery reduces the amount of excess material on site, immediately reducing worksite congestion and clutter. Less material on hand also means a lower risk of theft, damage, weather exposure, and worker injuries from a lack of pathways and workspace.

This improves site coordination and allows subcontractors to work with fewer delays. The site can be organized for productivity rather than storage, with a focus on smoother operations. 

3. Greater adaptability to design changes and real-time needs

Construction projects often face schedule changes, material substitutions, and ad hoc adjustments. JIT delivery gives teams the flexibility to order the right materials without being stuck with slow turnaround times. 

This is particularly important for fast-paced projects with evolving designs. By reducing delivery operations to a JIT model, contractors can respond more confidently to owner requests and revisions. 

4. More accurate scheduling and project coordination

JIT better supports tight construction schedules, because materials arrive in tandem with the build. This helps coordinators avoid bottlenecks caused by missing materials arriving too early. It also improves collaboration between crews, dispatchers, and distribution. When everyone is working from the same, aligned schedule, it becomes easier for all to anticipate and adjust to unexpected changes. 

5. Increased safety on the jobsite

On any construction site, safety is everything. Fewer materials on site mean fewer tripping hazards, less clutter, and safer movement around equipment on pathways. The JIT strategy also prevents unsafe stockpiles that can spill, topple, and obstruct emergency equipment and access points. 

Better timing also reduces the chance of workers cutting corners or rushing to make extra space for unexpected deliveries. With a cleaner, more controlled environment, workers using the JIT strategy meet compliance requirements and regulations with ease. 

Risks to consider

The main risk to consider with a JIT strategy is supply chain vulnerability, from a lack of buffer stock, over-reliance on suppliers and distributors, and limited flexibility when distributors fail to produce on demand. Any delay from suppliers, severe weather, road closures, or other factors can halt projects and leave little room for scheduling errors. 

What to look for in a just-in-time delivery provider

If you’re considering a JIT strategy, it’s important to select a provider that can deliver. Here’s what to look for when shopping around for the right solution:

• Live tracking visibility: A JIT provider should provide full visibility into the driver's en route status. Distributors should offer real-time tracking links that can be shared with all stakeholders, along with accurate ETAs and photo POD. 3PL solution Curri offers an accurate live tracker, with bookers able to opt in to push notifications to stay in the loop while focusing elsewhere. 
• On-demand fleet coverage: JIT’s success hinges on having the right vehicle available on demand and without restrictions, even during peak seasons. Curri provides bookers with a nationwide fleet, automatically matching users with the optimal route, vehicle, and price. 
• Smart route planning: Precision is key with JIT strategies, so distributors need a provider with intuitive routing capabilities. Curri’s route planner offers simple drag-and-drop functionality or an AI-powered route optimizer, which accounts for multiple deliveries, traffic conditions, and more. 
• Reliability and consistent delivery performance: A JIT provider must be dependable, with a strong track record of hitting tight delivery windows with precision. Curri is built for rapid, on-demand delivery, giving distributors the confidence that deliveries will arrive precisely when needed. 
• Support for hotshot and dedicated routes: While JIT routes are essential, most distributors also book recurring deliveries. Curri is a great example of a provider that offers JIT hotshots and recurring, dedicated service. This dual capability ensures contractors never lose productivity, and routine deliveries never slip through the cracks. 

Make delivery logistics easy, just in time with Curri 

Curri is a comprehensive logistics platform that offers distributors an elastic solution to scale operations up or down with changing demand. From hotshots to LTL and FTL service, to dedicated routes and even parcel service, Curri offers delivery options any growing distributor should need. 

Users can enjoy live, shareable tracking, traffic forecasting, carrier management, and seamless integration with your existing tool stack. Book a demo with the Curri team today to learn more about streamlined JIT delivery for your business.