By Sujan Shah, CEO, Rocaba Packaging Ltd.
Over the last two years, supply chains have had to adjust to the shock of both Brexit and the repercussions of a global pandemic.Numerous national lockdowns made eCommerce shopping the norm, supply chains have struggled to meet demand and product delays and unavailability have become more common. There are many reasons for this – who could forget the SuezCanal blockage in March last year –all of which have made us adjust the way we shop, become more inclined to stockpile goods and buy early to avoid missing out on the products we want.
In the packaging industry, we’ve seen a number of issues, from severe materials shortage, shipping and haulage challenges including transportation problems and fuel shortages, inflated shipping costs and backlogs at ports. This is showing no signs of letting up in 2022, and the resilience of supply chains, particularly for essential items such as packaging, will inevitably face more scrutiny over the next 12 months.