Supply chain disruptions?

oldiebutgoody said:
But they do through increasing prices which is what they are doing now. They have had six months to hire all those who graduated from high schools (or who dropped out of school) to drive their trucks. Nobody is stopping them from hiring them.
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Trucking companies can't hire just anybody "out of high school". My son is a trucker for JB Hunt and sometimes does the training. It's amazing what he encounters while trying to teach safe trucking! Not everyone is cut out to drive. Then there's the process of passing tests to get their CDLs. Companies can't afford to put insurance risks on the road.
 
I was saying here yesterday that Aldi had next to no fruit or veg.. well today our biggest Supermarket Chain Tesco.. have found themselves short of fresh vegetables stocks as well and are replacing the spaces with... cardboard cut-outs...:rolleyes::ROFLMAO:

FCS0YVMWYAAKEgQ
 
Britain’s manufacturers are struggling with their worst supply shortages since the mid-1970s, as fears grow in the sector over the economic fallout from rising costs and a lack of key materials.

Almost two-thirds of the businesses surveyed in the snapshot from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) warned that shortages of components would hit factory output in the next three months.



That was the biggest share since January 1975, a year when inflation hit a postwar high amid severe economic turbulence in Britain and abroad, with NHS doctors going on strike and Glasgow Scotland bin (trash) collectors staging industrial action.

The latest survey of 263 manufacturers, held against a backdrop of severe supply chain disruption caused by Covid and Brexit, also reported rising concern over staff shortages holding back industrial output over the coming months.

https://www.theguardian.com/busines...ortages-cbi-businesses-budget-spending-review
 
OneEyedDiva said:
Trucking companies can't hire just anybody "out of high school". My son is a trucker for JB Hunt and sometimes does the training. It's amazing what he encounters while trying to teach safe trucking! Not everyone is cut out to drive. Then there's the process of passing tests to get their CDLs. Companies can't afford to put insurance risks on the road.
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Yes it is true that not everyone can drive a truck. But then, not everyone can be an accountant. I worked as one for 20 years, trained many successfully, but had a handful who dropped out of the industry as it was far too difficult for them. From what I've read, close to 4 million kids graduated or were seniors who dropped out of school this past summer. You just will never convince me that you cannot find suitable candidates for the trucking industry from this enormous group. In fact, I guarantee that you can find more more qualified truckers than you can find suitable accountants.

Do yourself a favor, examine all the facts and factors, and do not buy into this garbage that in a land of 340+ million people you cannot find enough of them to drive a truck with a starting salary of $80K per annum. It is nothing more than a baseless fairy tale.
 
I think I might have said this before, there might be a nationwide shortage of drivers, but I keep seeing pictures of long lines of trucks sitting and waiting to go somewhere. I would not expect to see those lines if there were a shortage of drivers in those areas.

Secondly, I wonder the outcome... when all this is resolved. Certainly some consumers (me) are hoarding, but stores and factories are adapting their just in time inventories to compensate for much longer lead times, which is also hoarding in a fashion. I hope it doesn't rapidly resolve itself, or those factories and stores will be reducing orders due to shorter lead times and hoarders such as myself, will be reducing stockpiles. Know what I mean Vern?
 
hollydolly said:
I was saying here yesterday that Aldi had next to no fruit or veg.. well today our biggest Supermarket Chain Tesco.. have found themselves short of fresh vegetables stocks as well and are replacing the spaces with... cardboard cut-outs...:rolleyes::ROFLMAO:

FCS0YVMWYAAKEgQ
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I imagine the cardboard cutouts are designed to reduce the energy used tc cool the empty spaces. It’s surprsing that they don’t have some other stock that they could use to fill the refrigerated cases.
 
oldiebutgoody said:
Yes it is true that not everyone can drive a truck. But then, not everyone can be an accountant. I worked as one for 20 years, trained many successfully, but had a handful who dropped out of the industry as it was far too difficult for them. From what I've read, close to 4 million kids graduated or were seniors who dropped out of school this past summer. You just will never convince me that you cannot find suitable candidates for the trucking industry from this enormous group. In fact, I guarantee that you can find more more qualified truckers than you can find suitable accountants.

Do yourself a favor, examine all the facts and factors, and do not buy into this garbage that in a land of 340+ million people you cannot find enough of them to drive a truck with a starting salary of $80K per annum. It is nothing more than a baseless fairy tale.
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Talk to some truckers - the truly baseless fairy tale is that truckers get a starting salary of $80k per year. Indeed, very few earn anywhere near that. Most work very long hours, sleep in their rigs because they can't afford hotels, use pee bottles rather than stopping to relieve themselves, and are paid by the mile - so no payments for waiting time at pickups or deliveries, including those long lines at ports.

Complain and you're shunted to the back of the line by dispatchers, meaning very little work and the worst runs. Annual turnover in US trucking companies averages some 75%, long-haulers have a turnover rate of 90%.

People don't leave high paying employment and good working conditions. Quite the reverse.

A deep deep dive on the scam of trucking companies pushing drivers to become independent owner-operators shows how those poor folks really get screwed - earning less than federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour after paying their truck note, maintenance, dispatch fees and fuel related expenses.

https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2021/05/25/999784202/is-there-really-a-truck-driver-shortage
https://workhound.com/2021/06/what-ata-says-about-driver-turnover/
https://www.cnet.com/features/truck...ths-you-didnt-know-about-trucking-in-america/
 
As you can see I did not imagine the $80K figure as it has been mentioned on radio here in the Twin Cities both in ads and radio discussions. Evidently, some have taken advantage of these job opportunities although I cannot possibly account for why more have not done so. And while it may be true that some of these jobs may not be ideal (although to me nothing can be worse than being a @#$#@ accountant as that job sᵘcks beyond all manner of description) at least this shows that there are jobs out there. In a land of over 300 million people there simply is no such thing as a labor shortage.
 
Not sure if we're playing semantics here. Can we at least agree that there are too few people working in certain industries to keep the supply chain running smoothly? Whether due to lousy working conditions, a lack of qualified workers, poor pay for hours worked, incompetent management or other reasons, the fact remains that certain jobs are going unfilled.

I would never suggest you were making up the $80K figure. My point was that if truck driving was (as they used to say) all that and a bag of chips, there would be no need for radio ads to entice new drivers. Word of mouth among the unemployed, underemployed, or unhappily employed spreads like wildfire when truly good opportunities open up.

That said, current global supply chain issues run far deeper than current US or UK commercial driver shortages or greedy corporate board members, including that for the last 18 months Westerners have been shopping like it's Black Friday. Flush with cash typically used for experiential spending (vacations, event tickets, drinks and dinner out, salon services, massages, etc.), they turned to loading up on consumer goods - nearly all of which have components that cross the globe a few times before arriving at their doorstep in a completed state.

We all know people who relieve boredom or anxiety with a shopping salve, whether that's cruising yard sales, Main Street, Amazon, Home Depot, grocery aisles, garden centers, car dealerships, remodeling and building suppliers, furniture stores, you name it. Just read SF threads and you'll see what I mean.

I'm not casting aspersions because I'm as guilty as the next person. Since the pandemic began my back-up pantry and freezers have gradually become crammed beyond reason, especially considering that they're only feeding two people.

I have GOT to calm my food shortage anxiety and stop buying anything but fresh produce so we can work our way through the probably six months worth of frozen and shelf-stable food in our stash.
 
I read through the last few pages of this thread, the October posts. A lot of people are saying “I am not panic buying just stocking up”. 😂😂😂. I still think it’s an artificial shortage fueled by the media and others saying that there will not be enough for Christmas or thanksgiving or whatever. Panic buying.

As for planting a victory garden in the USA, what was the source of this announcement? I have not heard that and the entire USA is headed into winter so no sane responsible person would say such a thing until spring, and few would believe it. It’s true you can grow a garden successfully inside-its done all the time with marijuana. 😂😂😂. Just ask one of your sketcher neighbors how they do it. 😉
 
I personally haven't 'stocked up'' in months.. not since the actual empty supermarkets during the height of the pandemic, and we were only permitted 2 of many items... so I still have enough TP. and canned foods since then, and like you @StarSong , I have to get through a few months of food in my freezers and store cupboard before buying anything in any kind of bulk again...
 
Aneeda72 said:
I still think it’s an artificial shortage fueled by the media and others saying that there will not be enough for Christmas or thanksgiving or whatever. Panic buying.
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As someone who is still working part-time, and whose function is primarily procurement, I can say with fair authority that at least some out-of-stocks are not artificial shortages fueled by media hype. Since last spring I've been seeing zero inventories across the country and among all suppliers on items that are typically in stock everywhere for immediate delivery. I've never seen anything remotely like this in 40+ years in the apparel industry, nor has anyone else I've spoken with.

People in vehicle sales and repairs will tell you the same thing. New vehicles are harder to come by and repair parts are scarce.
 
StarSong said:
As someone who is still working part-time, and whose function is primarily procurement, I can say with fair authority that at least some out-of-stocks are not artificial shortages fueled by media hype. Since last spring I've been seeing zero inventories across the country and among all suppliers on items that are typically in stock everywhere for immediate delivery. I've never seen anything remotely like this in 40+ years in the apparel industry, nor has anyone else I've spoken with.

People in vehicle sales and repairs will tell you the same thing. New vehicles are harder to come by and repair parts are scarce.
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yep that's correct , it's what I've been told by sales people everywhere, and especially those providing parts as you say SS...and even the nurse who gave me my pre-meds at the hospital 2 weeks ago was talking about how even in nursing they've never seen or even imagined in 30 years of nursing, we'd have such shortages of everything, right through to nursing staff...

Also... I've never seen so many people buy new or next to new cars as I have seen this last 18 months.. despite the fact many were laid off, or WFH.. they all seemed to be able to afford new cars...( not me )
 
StarSong said:
Not sure if we're playing semantics here. Can we at least agree that there are too few people working in certain industries to keep the supply chain running smoothly? Whether due to lousy working conditions, a lack of qualified workers, poor pay for hours worked, incompetent management or other reasons, the fact remains that certain jobs are going unfilled.
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No semantics, no problem at all. Remember that the primary issue here is the mythical "labor shortage". The other issues are marginal at best. There simply is no such thing as a labor shortage. The greedy capitalists can solve the supply chain disruption any time they want - all they need do is to hire the truckers and distributors to move the commodities. With this the contrived problem is solved.
 
Went to grocery store the other day. Empty paper goods aisle brought back memories. Interesting thing...enough toilet paper, but empty of things like paper towels and napkins. Much empty space in frozen foods. But rest of store fairly well stocked.
 
If nothing else, these shortages will show the "dangers" of moving the manufacturing of so many consumer products to China. Saving a few percentage points on costs, due to the low wages in China, might be OK, UNTIL something like these shortages occurs, and we have NO recourse. Hopefully, these shortages will provide some incentives to return a lot of this manufacturing back to our shores. We would be far better off paying a bit more for US labor, than facing the "price gouging" and shortages when the supply chain is interrupted.
 
All was great at the store today. Everything is well stocked. Back to normal or seems so. They have the Christmas candy out already but still no Halloween candy which is very weird. :sneaky:
 

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