Survey Says COVID, Supply Issues Waning

Ask a question, and be prepared for the answer.

That was the case when www.FinishingAndCoating.com conducted an industry-wide survey of finishing and coating shops to see how the COVID-19 and supply chain issues were still affecting shops in North America.

Aside from the data, the comments from shops were often hard to swallow:

• 4 to 6 weeks delivery on new equipment.
• Electric Heaters backordered 6 months.
• We have been waiting on 5 rectifiers since May 2021 and have yet to receive them. This is stopping us from installing a whole new production line. We also cannot get a 480 transformer from our local electric company due to shortages.
• Lead-times have increased and shipments delayed sometimes by weeks.
• Polish especially is hard to come by, and we've needed to substitute with other brands and grits. Wheels have been hit or miss along with blasting/polishing gloves.
• Our customers are unable to get raw materials. This in turn affects their ability to get us machined parts to plate and finish for them. It is a downriver chain reaction.
• We heard about phosphate chemicals being impacted by China, halting exports but haven't seen any shortages in EN, cleaner or phosphate chemistry supply other than surcharges.
• Supply is there but prices are going up constantly.
• We are experiencing extreme unusual weather conditions and also difficulty in finding quality employees.
• Racking materials are taking longer to ship. There has been a major issue trying to get controllers and heater for new tanks.
• Some products have doubled in cost.
• Chip shortage reduced the amount of work we do.
• Supply issue with all commodities and materials.
• Chemicals and ancillary supplies have increased in price and have longer lead times.
• Customers are still having issues getting their materials which means we have more RUSH order requests.
• Automotive work is down, lost shift of work on 2 lines. We see consistent delivery of customer parts causing inefficiency.
• Delay with freight shipments.
• Not getting as many parts from customers.
• Customers struggling to get Cu and all business is now expedited - it is behind schedule before it arrives at our plant.
• More cost increases than anything We can get, but it just cost more.

We can only hope that our government leaders can end this madness and get the ship righted so supply chains can open, and so that people can work again. The American finishing shop and other manufactures deserve no less.