Since the onset of the pandemic, industries have been hit by a combination of supply-chain bottlenecks, material, and labor shortages. The recent war in Ukraine, and covid-related closures in China has only exacerbated supply chain disruptions as the cost of raw materials reaches an all-time high, and consumers are seeing prolonged delays on ordinary products.
The Furniture Industry Has Been Impacted
The furniture industry has been one of the most impacted by these global supply chain disruptions. The New York Times recently reported that the price to transport a container to the West Coast of the United States costed 12 times as much as it did two years prior, and the time to complete the journey has doubled. With many manufacturers located overseas and in China, lead times have increased exponentially across the board, as backed up shipping containers bottleneck American ports.
Not only overseas manufacturers have been affected. Domestic companies that source imported components and raw materials, in addition to experiencing delays, have also experienced price surges. The cost of raw materials, including copper, aluminum, lumber to steel has increased, in addition to the price of gas, which has made transportation itself more expensive. Manufacturers have been forced to raise their prices in response.
While international governments, shipping carriers, manufacturers and industry specialists have been working in tandem to resolve these issues, it has not yet reached a point of relief. Customers are waiting an upwards of 3+ months for products that were previously received in a fraction of the time. President Biden and Congress have pledged to reform the shipping industry with new proposed legislation. However, the future of how supply chain bottlenecks and shipping delays will be resolved on a global scale is still unclear.
Helpful Tips to Navigate Your Next Furniture Project
While there is no way to evade the effects of price increases and supply chain delays, you can create a responsive plan that takes these roadblocks into account. Lead times have increased from a few weeks, to several months. The sooner an order for your furniture is placed, the greater likelihood you will receive your furniture on schedule. Additionally, as manufacturers raise their prices in response to raw material shortages, the sooner your order is placed decreases the likelihood of experiencing upsurges in cost. If you have an upcoming project, we strongly advise consulting one of our office furniture experts to construct a timeline for your project. At SEAATS, we follow up with our clients directly with regards to an order, ensuring that the best possible delivery timeframe for the client.
We are looking forward to working with our clients and helping them navigate through these challenges. If you have questions regarding an upcoming or existing project, we strongly advise you to reach out to our team for the latest updates.
