March 2021 plastics shortage across industries
April 2021 big rig parts and supplies, including rubber and computer chips
April 2021 Land Rover suspends production due to shortages
April 2021 shortage of pipette tips causing testing and lab shortages
April 2021 aluminum shortage affects beverage industry
May 2021 shortage of glass bottles and jars
June 2021 increasing plastics shortage
July 2021 big rig parts and supplies
July 2021 Ford cuts production due to shortages
July 2021 shortage of glass packaging
July 2021 shortage of aluminum packaging
July 2021 seafaring crews burning out
August 2021 over 40 ships waiting to unload off CA ports
August 2021 Toyota cuts production by 40% due to shortages
August 2021 restaurants report shortages of plastic cups and takeout containers
August 2021 plastics shortage affecting beverage industry
August 2021 shortage of glass bottles affecting liquor industry
August 2021 aluminum shortage affects across industries
Sept 2021 computer chips and auto parts shortages
Sept 2021 a record 56 ships waiting to unload off CA ports
Sept 2021 tracking a single toy through the supply chain
Sept 2021 plastics shortage affecting sporting goods industry
Sept 2021 Kroger says grocery prices continuing to climb
add in constant labor shortages that have only increased in the last year
add in that EVERYTHING relies on computers to run
we’re running short on just about anything that can be used as packaging for products across the board, never mind the products themselves
we’re literally looking at shortages of the materials we need to package foods in, and not just the single meal freezer things, but whole roasts, large bulk meats, kegs of drinks, milk jugs, are all packaging plastic or metal or glass based.
and none of that is looking at the medical industry, I mentioned it briefly in one of the above links, but all of these material shortages also affect the packaging of drugs, sterile liquids, sterile needles, packaging to keep things sterile, IV line hose, IV bags, lab equipment. Plus the labor shortages in the medical industries were already severe before COVID, then folks burned out hard during COVID, and now we’re firing some fairly significant percentage of the remaining peoples because they’re wary of the COVID vaccines. Think it’s already hard to get in to see your doctor? It’s about to get way worse, only now not only is it because there aren’t enough doctors, it’s also because they don’t have the supplies to do your treatments. Need an infusion? Lets see, metal IV needle, or plastic port, silicone hose, a not short list of plastic parts-valves and what not, the bag or bottle containing the medication, various sterile packagings.
Oh, medications! As of Feb 2021 80% of the raw materials used to make drugs used in the USA are manufactured overseas. Which means that not only is there a packaging problem for medications, there’s all those same transportation and manufacturing and labor problems for medications too.
Lets see, what else is of vital importance….oh, electricity to run the hospitals, and your fridge! April 2021 continued parts shortage and price increases of electrical supplies and copper. July 2021 expect electrical supply shortages through 2022.
What about running water? April 2021 shortages of PVC pipe cause a relook at clay pipe. April 2021 pool equipment shortage, seems pretty benign, till you realize much the same equipement is also used to handle drinking water. Infact the same supply chain disruptions that affected all the plastics and rubber are all things that are required for the making of water pumps, plus metals and plastics for the pumps themselves.
But yes, lets keep freaking out about a virus with a 99+% survival rate and lets keep shutting things down and making things harder and harder to run. Who needs electricity? Or food, or running water, or drugs? Its all good……
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