At the time we are writing this paper, a shortage of critical raw materials is causing such a disruption to the global manufacturing industry that it’s making headlines worldwide.The dearth of raw materials that is bringing whole industries to a standstill is just one of the challenges manufacturers have to deal with in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis. As a matter of fact, the pandemic has amplified long standing trends and factors of disruption, thus exacerbating the complexity of manufacturing operations and supply chain management.Let’s explore the forces of disruption that are currently transforming the management of industrial operations and supply chains.