Supply Chain late 2021

[Brad]

Keep a watch on the supply chain its showing signs of strain.

The Instacart guy was just here.  The first words out of his mouth were, "I got lucky, I found everything."

We talked and he confirmed my suspicion that certain items were just disappearing from grocery shelves.  Stuff like Quaker Granola.

I also think some coffees are getting scarce.

This is more subtle than runs on TP, this is just certain items you have become used to disappearing. 

[rcjordan]

Costco is now limiting toilet paper.  TP seems to be the canary in the supply coal mine.

[Brad]

Great Granola shortage confirmed.  I talked to another Instacart driver, this time from Aldi, who, heroically, managed to get the last package of the granola I ordered.  Granola in short supply at all different grocery chains.  Gator-Aid and Lunchables also in short supply.  She's blaming supply-chain and kids going back to school.  It would appear parents no longer know how to make PBJ sandwiches any more.

It's going to be a long Fall and Winter.

[rcjordan]

Just got back from a kidney clinic (monthy checkup) about 200 miles round trip.  Several gas plazas out of gas.  I dunno the reason, but I'm guessing lack of drivers.

>long Fall and Winter.

Just last night, I dropped the yellow flag about potential problems with christmas shopping.  You might want to start a couple of weeks early.  This was based on my feeds being chock-full of shipping problems --some major, some obscure, but the mile-high view is that there are issues everywhere.

[littleman]

Jen and I were just debating on whether or not we should get rid of some of our reserve toilet paper.

[rcjordan]

^{FWIW, this may be written by the same guys who hype storm coverage.}

2021 Toilet Paper Shortage: More Empty Shelves Are Coming | Mental Floss
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/650651/2021-toilet-paper-shortage

[Brad]

I just remembered: Crackers (saltines and all sorts of crackers), that's another item the Instacart delivery driver said was in short supply.  Go figure.

US Pork prices to rise.  Heard on radio: back in 2020 the pork processing plants had staffing troubles and shutdowns, so farmers culled the hog herds and cut back on production.  Now there no longer an overabundance of pork so prices are rising.

[rcjordan]

worth a read;

Automakers' problems are much worse than we thought - CNN
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/28/business/auto-industry-supply-chain-problems/index.html

[rcjordan]

Dude, Where's My Stuff? | J.P. Morgan Asset Management

https://am.jpmorgan.com/us/en/asset-management/institutional/insights/market-insights/eye-on-the-market/dude-where-is-my-stuff/

[ergophobe]

Those are both worth a read, but especially the second one. That's a nice collection of data

[rcjordan]

"It's kind of whack-a-mole — something goes wrong, it gets sorted out, then something else happens.''

The price of polyvinyl chloride or PVC, used for pipes, medical devices, credit cards, vinyl records and more, has rocketed 70%. The price of epoxy resins, used for coatings, adhesives and paints, has soared 170%. Ethylene — arguably the world's most important chemical, used in everything from food packaging to antifreeze to polyester — has surged 43%


From Paints to Plastics, a Chemical Shortage Ignites Prices – NBC Connecticut
https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/from-paints-to-plastics-a-chemical-shortage-ignites-prices/2592672/

[rcjordan]

+

Retailers' Latest Headache: Shutdowns at Their Vietnamese Suppliers - The New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/29/business/supply-chain-vietnam.html

[Drastic]

The workers who keep global supply chains moving are warning of a 'system collapse'

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/09/29/business/supply-chain-workers/index.html

[Brad]

Costco is renting 3 container ships and 'several thousand containers' to shield itself from supply-chain delays and rising costs

https://www.businessinsider.com/costco-charters-3-container-ships-amid-global-shipping-crisis-2021-9


And all the King's horses and all the King's men couldn't put Humpty-Dumpty back together again.

[Brad]

Paint is the latest product facing supply shortages and higher prices

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/29/business/paint-price-inflation/index.html