CHLORINE, MICROWAVES AND LIGHT BULBS, OH MY!

by | May 10, 2021

They are calling it the “long tail” of COVID. Although there is more optimism in North
America about a foreseeable end to this disruptive pandemic, we will certainly
feel its effects for years to come and in some not-so-obvious ways.

2020 and the first half of this year saw the shortage of raw goods,
decreased production at manufacturing facilities, uneven worldwide distribution
of shipping containers and skyrocketing demand for many household
products. Recently, I wrote about the
upcoming scarcity of foam. Foam is used
in many industries, including furniture manufacturing. Sofa manufacturers, just to stay in business,
are likely to switch from using the proper foam – HR (high resiliency) to
polypropylene or HD foam (high density).
Anything made without using the appropriate foam will look good on the
sales floor, but get it home, and after a few short months, it will be hard as
a rock. Unless it is HR foam in the seat
and back cushions, it is simply not made to last. As a comparison, HR foam will maintain 80% of
its shape over 10 to 15 years.

This week, even more industries announced supply issues. The first looks like it could be of great
consequence to homeowners here and our travel industry.

North America is about to experience the worst shortage of chlorine in
its history. What has caused this? First, more people remained home during 2020
and used their pools more often. This
trend is expected to be the same, if not increase the summer of 2021. That means an increase in demand. In addition to this, there was a vast
chemical plant fire at one of the largest chlorine suppliers in August of last
year, which destroyed inventory.

Chlorine is crucial in killing and neutralizing germs in pools. If you have a pool and plan to use it this
year, you may wish to get ahead of the curve and stock up. If the experts are correct, if you find any
chlorine, it is likely to be significantly higher in price than today.

There are other alternatives to chlorine for those interested,
including natural options and converting your pool to natural or
saltwater. Since most prefer the ease,
lower cost and surety of chlorine, this shortage is bound to affect many.Another upcoming situation is the global shortage of computer
chips. This one is bigger and expected
to take longer to resolve than initially anticipated. Although we think of computer chips as
integral parts of our laptops and smartphones, many more items now include
these necessary items. Microwaves,
televisions, washing machines, fridges, LED bulbs and children’s toys are
examples of other things that require computer chips.

Even though manufacturers of chips continue to produce at breakneck
speed, the demand far outpaces the supply.
Again, COVID can be cited as a huge cause of this shortage. More people working from home upgraded their
laptops and smartphones. Then, to
entertain themselves after work hours, they purchased new flat-panel TVs,
gaming systems and devices with chips.
Staying home meant that consumers also increased their spending on home
renovations. Some clients in the US
report that they ordered and then waited close to one year to get their new
microwave, refrigerator or washing machine.Are you thinking about getting a smart home device such as a video doorbell
or a smart toilet? You may consider
ordering it sooner than later. Not only
might it take longer, but the scarcity generally drives the price up.

How long could it take for things to right themselves? According to experts, we could expect to see
stress on the system at least into 2023.

Ultimately, for the next while, be prepared for a longer than usual
wait time no matter where you order your items, do not expect to get it right
away and consider other options. We can
be sure of this – do not expect things to be as usual due to COVID.

Want to purchase furniture right the first time for your home in
Vallarta? We specialize in helping you
find the manufacturers and suppliers that use the correct materials with the
proper processes. . Come visit us at our Puerto Vallarta store: 363A Constituciones just off Basilio Badillo
(Open Mon through Fri 10 to 2).
Our Bucerias store is at Heroes de Nacozari 126 (Open Tues and Fri 10 to
2). If you are not currently in Mexico,
email us at furniture@solutionsmexico.com or Whatsapp us at +3221365156
and join our FB Group: Mexico Furniture and
Décor
for ideas
and inspiration.

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