The surprising demand for new homes has strained the supply chain for home builders. Suppliers have been whipsawed – initially seeing mass cancellations in March and then, in an about face, sudden demand since May while dealing with social distancing mandates in their manufacturing facilities.
Homebuilding’s V‑shaped recovery has put a tremendous strain on the market. Many Manufacturing Suppliers of components in the building envelope are facing constraints in shifting the way they manufacture with a reduced labor force, which in turn is leading to production and supply issues.
Manufacturing Facilities are not designed to have people standing six feet apart to do their jobs. We have seen delays with everyone, Whirlpool, G.E., Frigidaire, Samsung, just to name a few.
How can Builders and Developers, get their hands on their Appliance Needs? As we all know, this will affect your critical path of your project, and the moment of truth is when you request your delivery date!
Flexibility is key here. One challenge will be to understand that you may not get exactly what you want right now. You can continue to wade the waters waiting for your appliances to come back in stock which could currently be a month or longer depending on brand and finish. The other option is trying something different be it a different brand, finish or product line that is available to ship out right away.
Planning is critical – it is so important to get your orders placed in advance, so you have your place in line. Wherever and whoever you are purchasing from, it is key they are transparent with the current pipeline and when your appliances are available as this can change daily right now.
Like most things this year, we will blame it on COVID-19. Not only has the pandemic sent tremors through the healthcare industry, our economy, and our social structure, COVID-related circumstances have completely disrupted the supply chains of many industries, from toilet paper and aluminum cans to meat and manufacturing. The appliance industry is no exception.
