We are living in interesting times - that is obvious. The COVID-19 Pandemic has changed many aspects of our daily lives. From masks, hand sanitizer and social distancing - it's easy to see that we do things differently these days. Another impact that the pandemic has had is on the polypropylene and polyethylene supply chain. Many of the COVID-19 related personal protective equipment (PPE) products rely heavily on these resins and the spike in these products combined with fewer workers has contributed to the current shortage.
Another, contributor to the shortage was a recent storm that hit Texas (the nation's top polypropylene/polyethylene producer). It left an already depleted supply even more so, pushing production back even further. Most producers will be playing catch-up for months to come.
What does this mean for packaging?
Many rigid packaging components such as plastic caps, plastic jars and bottles are made from PP/PE. The shortage has caused major suppliers to deal with longer production lead times and price increases.
Will I still be able to find the packaging items I need?
Citadel Packaging works with a number of manufacturers and is dedicated to stocking items that are currently in short supply. Please check our catalog or reach out to a sales representative to get updated stock levels and pricing.
When will the manufacturers get caught up?
Nobody knows for sure. Suppliers and manufacturers are working hard to keep up with demand but it's likely that the shortages will last until the second quarter of 2021.