Shortages

[TxBrew]

Without getting political I'm curious what you all are are seeing professionally regarding inventory and product shortages. Have you seen impact from it?

 

[Golddiggie]

Metals are in shorter supply right now, which is driving up prices. A case of 500ml cans from MoreBeer went up $30 from earlier this year to last week. Stainless is pretty much in the same position, which is impacting gear manufacturers. Such as Brewers Hardware [jacketed] conicals (originally due by end of September, now maybe before the end of November).

Clear wine bottles are also in short supply. The LHBS I visit is out of them and their supplier hasn't given them a real ETA. They might have some this month. Luckily I was able to get some online (need to bottle some mead) which will be arriving this week and next (two sizes, shipping from PA and CA).

I know why this is going on. But since you want to keep that out of this thread, I won't mention it.

 

[easttex]

I haven't experienced any shortages in homebrewing yet (primarily because I haven't bought anything since April) but professionally speaking:

• Steel is in short supply and prices are elevated
• PVC is all but unobtainable right now and prices continue to rise
• Products that rely heavily on specific plastics (like resi breakers) are somewhat difficult to obtain
• Likewise products that use natural rubber (tires, portable cords) are seeing longer lead times
• Anything a supplier tries to import from overseas in a container is likely held up in a port right now

There's also a national shortage of delivery drivers and warehouse workers. It's difficult and expensive to get product moved and when it arrives, it takes a while to unload/unpack/put away because the warehouse is short staffed.

Lastly, I paid $4.39 for a loaf of wheat bread at Krogers Friday night. Most expensive bread I've ever bought.

 

[Golddiggie]

Lastly, I paid $4.39 for a load of wheat bread at Krogers Friday night. Most expensive bread I've ever bought.

How much is a load of bread??
I've been making my own bread since mid 2016. Price of all the ingredients has been pretty stable over the years.

 

[Spikybits]

We are pushing customers to 1/2022 and 2/2022 on new installations on certain systems - chronically short on repair parts - suppliers factories are shut down or 1/2 capacity

 

[easttex]

How much is a load of bread??
I've been making my own bread since mid 2016. Price of all the ingredients has been pretty stable over the years.

Too expensive! Fortunately we low carb at home and don't buy much bread.

 

[RolandD]

Spray paints, Gatorade, Powerade are just few that are in short supply around here.

 

[Jaybird]

Metals and metal working equipment. I have been able to negotiate with new vendors to supply us but yeah, Perf is off the chain it has tripled in price in the last 2 years then came back down and settled in at a solid 2x and tubing at 1 point was 4x for our 1.5, 2 and 3".... 1/2" doubled but I started using a new vendor and they are treating us well.

Cheers
Jay

 

[sibelman]

Lumber: high prices, low availability. In the Pacific Northwest, yet.

 

[passedpawn]

Labor is the biggest issue right now.

I'm redesigning circuit boards for clients right now because parts are unavailable. Lead times for many parts are now at almost 52 weeks - used to be off-the-shelf for reasonable quantities. I'm recompiling code because certain embedded processors are also unavailable. Electrical component shortages are insane (but actually keeping me quite busy, and busy is $$$).

With demand higher than normal, supply low due to supply chain and labor issues, it's the perfect storm for increased prices.

 

[Sammy86]

Labor and dry erase markers...

can't find people who want to be paraeducators or tutors (aides) and apparently there is a shortage of dry erase markers...i asked for more they gave me a box of 4 and said that's all you get...

 

[shoengine]

Flat glass is a bit tough to get. Almost all of it is fabricated in China and was massively impacted by COVID shutdowns.

 

[sibelman]

Labor ...can't find people who want to be paraeducators or tutors (aides) an

The State of Oregon is temporarily suspending the requirement that substitute teachers have college degrees. And nurses and other health care workers at Kaiser Permanente are considering striking.

 

[Dland]

Some of my jobs held up by certain types of basic fencing materials not being available for months at a time.

Vehicle/machine parts less available, recently had to wait 5 weeks for a common truck windshield.

Workers have been in short supply for years, only getting worse. Most companies in my line of work hire immigrants, but I'm too old to learn a new language, not just for work, anyway..

Planning to raise my rates 10% next year to maintain ability to pay locally competitive wages, to have good crew..

 

[Beerstein]

I'm seeing shortages in:

1. semiconductors (custom, also simple things like voltage regulators)
2. speaker drivers
3. certain premium types of wire
4. some things that are imported from Australia
5. some malts imported from Castle have really long lead times
6. primers and bullets
7. Nordic style bottles

 

[Golddiggie]

I'm seeing shortages in:

1. semiconductors (custom, also simple things like voltage regulators)
2. speaker drivers
3. certain premium types of wire
4. some things that are imported from Australia
5. some malts imported from Castle have really long lead times
6. primers and bullets
7. Nordic style bottles

Primers are still double (if not more) than they were before the entire Covid panic kicked off. I'm waiting for the progressive press I want to be back in stock/available so I can upgrade to it. I plan to get the shell plates needed as they come available. That way I'm at least ready for the press when it finally arrives. Of course, there will be other items needed to do easier caliber changes, which are also hard to get right now.

 

[Beerstein]

Primers are still double (if not more) than they were before the entire Covid panic kicked off. I'm waiting for the progressive press I want to be back in stock/available so I can upgrade to it. I plan to get the shell plates needed as they come available. That way I'm at least ready for the press when it finally arrives. Of course, there will be other items needed to do easier caliber changes, which are also hard to get right now.

I've seen shortages on RCBS accessories; but I just can't seem to get any primers. I've ordered directly from Nosler and can usually get bullets when needed.

 

[Golddiggie]

I've seen shortages on RCBS accessories; but I just can't seem to get any primers. I've ordered directly from Nosler and can usually get bullets when needed.

I'm looking to get the Pro Chucker 5. The plan is to set it up for 9mm, 45ACP, .223 and 300 Blk initially. I'll keep my turret press (Lyman T-Mag2 from the 80's) for 308 Winchester, at least initially. I have all the dies and such. I have a decent supply of primers and other components. I'll be looking to replace used inventory when I start reloading again.

 

[Beerstein]

I'm looking to get the Pro Chucker 5. The plan is to set it up for 9mm, 45ACP, .223 and 300 Blk initially. I'll keep my turret press (Lyman T-Mag2 from the 80's) for 308 Winchester, at least initially. I have all the dies and such. I have a decent supply of primers and other components. I'll be looking to replace used inventory when I start reloading again.

That's a good setup. You'll be happy. I've got enough to keep shooting, but I'd like to replenish when I shoot too.

 

[Golddiggie]

That's a good setup. You'll be happy. I've got enough to keep shooting, but I'd like to replenish when I shoot too.

I need to finish my 6.5 Grendle build and then get setup for reloading that too.

 

[Beerstein]

I need to finish my 6.5 Grendle build and then get setup for reloading that too.

I really like Grendle. I've been shooting that for a few years. The dies were sooo expensive when I purchased them. Also, they seem a bit pickier about depths too. For a while I couldn't get the 2nd round of reloads to chamber all the way.

 

[Golddiggie]

I really like Grendle. I've been shooting that for a few years. The dies were sooo expensive when I purchased them. Also, they seem a bit pickier about depths too. For a while I couldn't get the 2nd round of reloads to chamber all the way.

I'll probably start in the turret press for that round. I probably won't shoot enough of it to warrant setting the progressive up for it. I'm thinking that the 308 Win will remain on the turret so I take more care with each round.

Also need to finish my AR10 pistol build.

 

[Beerstein]

I'll probably start in the turret press for that round. I probably won't shoot enough of it to warrant setting the progressive up for it. I'm thinking that the 308 Win will remain on the turret so I take more care with each round.

Also need to finish my AR10 pistol build.

Whoa, that'll have some kick.

This fall's project is to break-in my re-barrelled 223 Valkryie. The first barrel from Ballistic Advantage just didn't shoot those 100gr heavy bullets very well. Bought a bbl from Faxon. Hoping it performs better.

 

[marc1]

My wife is a restaurant/event manager at a club, and they are having some troubles getting beer (glass issues?).

Also, workers. No one wants to work, even at much higher pay than just a couple years ago.

 

[pen25]

primers wont show up until ammo starts getting back on the shelves. rem plant in ar is at full capacity 3 shifts and has been looking at major expansion. that plant was shut down for 2 years,. i still have enough components to last me through this year and several months into next for skeet and trap shooting though i am now down to 8 rounds for both a week. will be picking up an air rifle soon just to give me something to do on weekends.

outside of ammo and components to make ammo im not seeing any shortages in tulsa other than at china freight.

 

[seatazzz]

Wow. I'm in the container freight industry, and while I am constantly hearing from my customers about downed production lines, xmas gonna be cancelled, person X has been waiting months for their grammy's chiffoniere to arrive from Europe, it's interesting to see the impact of the shipping industry on Joe Blow from the street, as it were. One of our biggest end customers is a very very large airplane manufacturer here in WA (rhymes with rowing) and they are shutting down production lines left and right due to the lack of machined parts from Asia. I've got containers at one Seattle port that have been there since August, buried in huge piles that they can't dig out from. Container ships are sitting out in the sound waiting days/weeks for a berth. In LA/Long Beach it's ten times worse. Our company also handles air freight, and that's getting impacted as well. Current consensus around the industry says that we won't get completely caught up until early 2023 given the way things are going now. I've been in this for 14 years now, been through a couple of longshore strikes and slowdowns, but have NEVER seen anything like this.

I saw on the news that Biden is trying to tell the ports that they have to start working 24/7 to try to relieve the congestion but that isn't the main problem, it's the lack of labor; not only longshore workers, but truck drivers, freight forwarders, customs brokers, and businesses like mine are all suffering because we can't find qualified employees.

This is gonna be a TL;DR, but I'd like to share a bit of why the containers aren't getting out of the ports as quickly as they usually do, during "normal" times; it's something I have to explain at least 5 times a day to frustrated customers waiting on their freight. I'm sure you've all seen containers being hauled by trucks on the road, and sitting flat on the ground at a warehouse; well, in order to pick up a container from the port, you have to have a chassis. The ports do not supply them anymore; they are mostly owned by massive chassis leasing companies. No chassis, no container from the port. The majority of the leased chassis are currently sitting under empty containers we cannot return, because there is no room for them at the ports. The container ships are so delayed that by the time they finally get a berth, and unloaded of inbound loaded containers, the ports have to load them back up with loaded export containers going to Asia or other ports; and there's no room for the empties to go back. So the ports are buried in empty containers with nowhere to go, and they won't let us return the ones we have because no room. So the leased chassis, and the ones my company owns, sit idle under empties that we cannot return and pick up more loads. And if a loaded container isn't picked up within 5 days, then storage starts at a minimum of $150/day; conversely, if a an empty container is not returned to the port within about 5 days, we get hit with detention at about the same rate. Those costs are having to be absorbed by the shippers/consignees, and they will be passed on to us, the consumers, raising prices exponentially. On another note, with the lack of empty containers to stuff in Asia, shippers are overloading the containers well beyond legal limits; so when the trucker goes to pick them up, they have to use a special chassis with 3 or 4 axles to handle the weight. The ticket a driver can receive for hauling an overweight container without the correct number of axles can reach up to $3000.

So, once again TL;DR; there is currently no easy solution to the issue no matter what government entity gets involved.

 

[sibelman]

Thank you, @seatazzz , for illuminating this bottleneck in the global supply chain. It seems to be a far more complex and thorny version of the "mere" Suez blockage. The picture you paint highlights the fragility of our modern, urbanized trans-global techno-consumerist existence; and it's not "just" about the lack of the latest gaming consoles under the tree or shiny new cars on the driveway: food and medicine supply issues... But it's too early for a homebrew.

 

[seatazzz]

Thank you, @seatazzz , for illuminating this bottleneck in the global supply chain. It seems to be a far more complex and thorny version of the "mere" Suez blockage. The picture you paint highlights the fragility of our modern, urbanized trans-global techno-consumerist existence; and it's not "just" about the lack of the latest gaming consoles under the tree or shiny new cars on the driveway: food and medicine supply issues... But it's too early for a homebrew.

It's NEVER too early for a homebrew....remember it's always 5 o'clock somewhere! And yes I agree with you; I keep seeing posts on FB from people saying "this is why we need to buy American", but unfortunately most of the population can't afford to buy American products similar to what we get from China, simply because of price. There's no "quick" solution to any of it, and that pains me.

 

[passedpawn]

This is gonna be a TL;DR

THAT was a great post. Thank you for the time you put into it.

 

[passedpawn]

It's NEVER too early for a homebrew....remember it's always 5 o'clock somewhere! And yes I agree with you; I keep seeing posts on FB from people saying "this is why we need to buy American", but unfortunately most of the population can't afford to buy American products similar to what we get from China, simply because of price. There's no "quick" solution to any of it, and that pains me.

BUT, how do you suppose all americans bought american products until only recently? And that was with typically only one working person in the household.

There's this false economy (I think) that relies on cheap overseas products. We think we get a deal with cheap overseas products. But I wonder.