Supply Chain Disruptions in the Beauty Industry
The massive backlog of large cargo ships stacking up off the port of Long Beach, California, is creating a massive headache all suppliers and manufacturers for the beauty industry. The top items on backed-up ships include auto parts, textiles, and furniture - including salon equipment and spa furnishings. It's a complicated situation with dynamic factors contributing to the unprecedented situation including:
- labor shortages at the docks;
- shortage of truck and drivers to transport the goods;
- growing ship sizes;
- shortages of containers;
- COVID-safety measures;
- huge demand increase for imported consumer products.
As of October 19, 97 vessels are currently awaiting their turn to offload and the massive delay at the Long Beach and Los Angeles port with another 45 ships expected to arrive at the ports by Thursday. These large cargo ships accounts for approximately 200,000 containers of goods waiting for consumers across all industries and sectors. The surge has put increasing pressure on the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex, already the largest in the US and the ninth largest in the world. Together the ports move 40% of container imports in the US and 30% of exports, and serve as a key gateway for imported goods from Asia. The overwhelming volume exacerbated by outdated infrastructure is impacting an already rickety supply chain that has been battered by the logistical fits and starts of the pandemic.
With the peak shipping period getting under way as the all-important American holiday shopping season approaches, in recent weeks the ports have been setting new records for ships in port almost daily.
