Agreed, I worked in food manufacturing for a while, and was fortunate to have suppliers who maintained 1-2 shifts worth of almost all obscure components as a go

Agreed, I worked in food manufacturing for a while, and was fortunate to have suppliers who maintained 1-2 shifts worth of almost all obscure components as a good-faith gesture. As most of our own backstock was perishable, FIFO rotation kept us from having way too much, or any tax issues. I learned it was much better to deal with CEO/investors grumbling about $$$ tied up in backstock than Type A Sales Manager + CEO/investors wondering when the f^ck a single critical component would let us restart the production line to launch an overdue product. I don't miss that job! There was also the "Google the new CEO on his first day and find out he's under SEC investigation for withholding payments to his previous corp's suppliers to pad the balance sheet for buyout" but that is another story entirely!