Chain Reaction Ep. 24: Exporting Complexity Made Manageable

Leanne Parkin, Operations Director at Ramsden International, navigates a supply chain complexity that most domestic operators never face. 26,000 SKUs across 100+ countries with different regulatory frameworks, tariff regimes, customs procedures, and compliance requirements. Each export is a puzzle with dozens of variables. Get one wrong and shipments get held, fines accrue, customer deadlines slip. The approach that works is structured disciplined thinking. Document every regulation. Map dependencies. Build processes that catch errors before they become expensive. Track changes as regulations shift - and they shift constantly. Technology helps, but Leanne's experience suggests discipline matters more. A well-organised team with spreadsheets beats a poorly understood system. What Ramsden has built is essentially a knowledge system where the complexity gets managed through processes, not avoided through simplification. For supply chain operators considering export expansion or working in multi-regional networks, Leanne's conversation offers practical perspective on what actually works. The conversation covers specific tactics - how to manage regulatory change, how to build supplier networks across regions, how to maintain compliance at scale. It's grounded in what actually happens when you operate across borders rather than theoretical frameworks.