It has almost been 2 years of facing the COVID-19 pandemic and one of the biggest devastations due the pandemic has been the effect it has had on the entire supply chain globally. From producers to consumers and all those in between. Despite the difficult economic times that businesses are facing, Plastrip was able to achieve positive growth by expanding our premises in October 2021.
Within the supply chain, one of the areas that has been hit particularly hard is the shipping industry, causing many delays. This has resulted in a knock-on effect, either causing shortages in end products being delivered to the consumer, or not even having the products being produced in the first place because of delays in transporting raw materials to the manufacturers.
At the epicentre of this international maritime trade crisis is the shortage of shipping containers, because many of them are being delayed due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. The lack in supply of shipping containers has inevitably pushed up their pricing rather drastically, as there are now not enough shipping containers to meet the demand for them. The consequence: an increase in costs and lead times for imports and exports.
Experts predict that as the economic situation stabilises, shipment prices should eventually return to normal. But how long that will take remains an unanswered question.
Our advantage as a manufacturer
Despite the current challenging times, Plastrip was able to secure additional premises in October 2021 in the same industrial complex. This was done in order to accommodate the growth of the business, allowing us to expand our warehouse footprint. In doing so, it gave the business more freedom, because we do not need to rely heavily on shipments’ turnaround times, as we can now store more supplies and products.
At Plastrip, we locally manufacture a range of agricultural and geological products at our factory based in Somerset West, as well as source other products from local manufacturers based in South Africa. This helps reduce long lead times.
It’s not all plain sailing – we do still experience some delays in the international maritime market and we ask that our customers are understanding and patient in this regard. However, the extra on-site storage that we recently secured eases the economic pressures and helps our operations run more efficiently, allowing us to manufacture high quality products and respond to the supply crisis.
If you are needing agricultural, horticultural or geological products, we ask that you consider Plastrip or our mining division, GeoPro Supplies, for your next order. View our range of products or request a quote and we will be happy to assist you.