Heading into winter amid a supply-chain crisis comes with some new considerations, and buyers should be concerned about more than just whether or not there will be gifts under the tree this year. With more than 100 ships waiting to offload at LA ports, it’s important to remember that those container ships carry more than just toys, electronics, clothing and furniture. They are also carrying the critical chemical raw materials you depend on to keep your plant running.
While traditionally, good inventory management practices include keeping inventory light at the end of the year, it might be a good idea to keep a little more stock on hand this year, if you are able to, in order to ensure you will have enough materials to keep your plant running. Keep in mind that it’s not just delays at the ports that are slowing down the buying process. Trucking availability also continues to be a challenge, and volumes are ramped up with the holiday demand. If you bring in bulk tankers, remember that winter weather means that many tankers will be dedicated to carrying deicer, leaving fewer trucks on the road for other bulk raw materials.
With careful planning and expectations of longer lead times, navigating the winter is achievable. While the shipping backlogs still have months before they are expected to clear up, there is still hope that after a few months of 2022, at least some of the supply chain disruptions will begin to ease.