Supply Chain issues

[gmerkt]

A while back, I needed a couple of new tires for the rear of my 1972 Ford Ranch Wagon. Then I remembered that I had two studded snow tires in my storage building, unused for a long time, very low mileage. I got them out, laboriously removed the metal studs one at a time and put those on the rear axle. I don't drive in the snow anymore if I can help it anyway, and never that car. I have later models with traction control and one with locking rear axle. Waste not, want not.

I saved the rims from the worn-out tires. Try to buy used stock rims these days. The auto dismantlers send them all away for scrap, they don't hold on to them to resell. At least around here.

Major brand tire shops won't touch tires needing repair or remounting with dates over 10 years. Liability issues they claim, but it also allows them to sell more tires. Maybe this is a minor issue, as so many people don't keep a car that long anyway. Or they drive the life out of the tire way before that time. The junk yards get plenty of cars 10 or fewer years old. It's surprising. Shop-done car repairs are very expensive now, major component failure forces many people to just buy new and assume a new loan.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Commercial surplus is up, demand is stripping it back, companies are no longer recycling older equipment, instead, embracing greater risk in running old stuff longer and playing that Russian roulette hoping things don't break or fail!
Went to buy Mil Surp. ( New) tires to have on hand in case things keep tracking like they are, still $380 each for the biggies, but the depot warned me to grab all I would need now, rather then waiting! 10 more tires now shipping to the ranch!

 

[JohnnyMac]

A guy I work told me his brother bought two semi truck & trailers and pays his two cousins to drive them. Said he pulled down $200k free and clear above his costs last year and expects to buy two more trucks this year. I guess he started with two "Uhaul" type box trucks but felt he was leaving way too much money on the table because he didn't have enough room so moved up to the big boys. Might be a good time to get a CDL and start hot-shotting.

 

[Tony617]

I had two cars and one pickup truck with new tires done almost two years ago now. With the quarantine I did not drive that much except to the grocery store and sometimes Costco.

 

[BBQ Guy]

A guy I work told me his brother bought two semi truck & trailers and pays his two cousins to drive them. Said he pulled down $200k free and clear above his costs last year and expects to buy two more trucks this year. I guess he started with two "Uhaul" type box trucks but felt he was leaving way too much money on the table because he didn't have enough room so moved up to the big boys. Might be a good time to get a CDL and start hot-shotting.

Guys like that will keep stuff moving and make a killing doing it.

 

[Dungannon]

A month ago, a 44 ship backlog off Long Beach was setting a record. Now it's up to 56 ships.

An all-time high of 56 cargo ships are stuck waiting off the California coast, as shipping ports hit their 4th record backup in three weeks

The labor shortage, COVID-19, and holiday-buying surges are causing shipping disruptions and delays at two of the most important ports in the US.

news.yahoo.com

 

[Blackwatch]

Interesting thread. My sense, shortages and disruptions are pervasive across a number of industries/supply chains...will become more apparent as inventory levels dwindle and don't get adequately replenished for quite a while.

 

[gmerkt]

There is a certain product that Mrs. Merkt likes to buy at Chef's Store. Which used to be called Cash and Carry. We were there yesterday, the shelves were pretty bare. Standing in the middle of an aisle, you could look through the shelving and see clear across the store. When we were checking out, we asked about this and were told it's due to a trucking shortage / backlog.

There are also select shortages from various suppliers, as many are having staffing problems due to Covid or people who don't want to come back to work. Who knew cat food would be in short supply? Or Jiffy Pop popcorn? So far, the cat sand mines haven't closed down.

 

[Diamondback]

There is a certain product that Mrs. Merkt likes to buy at Chef's Store. Which used to be called Cash and Carry. We were there yesterday, the shelves were pretty bare. Standing in the middle of an aisle, you could look through the shelving and see clear across the store. When we were checking out, we asked about this and were told it's due to a trucking shortage / backlog.

There are also select shortages from various suppliers, as many are having staffing problems due to Covid or people who don't want to come back to work. Who knew cat food would be in short supply? Or Jiffy Pop popcorn? So far, the cat sand mines haven't closed down.

Between stimmy checks, mask mandates and needle mandates... work is being DIS-incentivized and not-work is getting what in my Econ classes we called "perverse incentives."

 

[TTSX]

Do you feel safer/more unified yet?

 

[Diamondback]

Do you feel safer/more unified yet?

Quite the opposite on both...

 

[nwdaily]

I was told something similar about oil filters because rubber gaskets were becoming more difficult to obtain. I mostly use purolator filters, it seems like they have been in Good supply.

 

[Ura-Ki]

My brother runs a semi and has been getting a lot of brokers begging him to haul loads, mostly for the big box stores and Large chain groceries, but he is still hauling produce from farms to markets! Don't know what his rates are currently, but he is making a killing, though fuel prices are also up! His normal loads are the fruit growers in Wash. And Or. And he hauls most of it to Oxnard Ca. Then picks up veggies around the bay area, Tracy Gilroy, Redding/Corning and hauls it back up here, usually to Seattle, but some to PDX! He still runs my old Pete and bought a good used Utility Reefer trailer several years ago, and it's all paid off, so, besides his costs it's all profit in his pocket! Didn't think owner operators would survive after the D.O.T changed up the hours and the states really hammered the speed limits, but it seems to be working out!

 

[USMC-03]

On a grand strategy level, wait till the ChiComs make their eventual move on Taiwan and its semiconductor industry - western manufacturing grinds to a quick halt. Then with a very possible takeover of New Zealand and Madagascar they will control the majority of the world's shipping lanes. May you live in interesting times.

 

[Member 52301]

Guys like that will keep stuff moving and make a killing doing it.

This was a discussion that my husband and I had with a friend of ours from out of state last weekend.

Cate

 

[ATCclears]

@Dungannon 61 now.


from https://forwardobserver.com this morning (free email):

Heavy congestion persists in the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach with 61 vessels anchored or drifting in the San Pedro Bay. Port management officials are expanding the Vessel Traffic Service area from 25 miles to 80 miles in order to accommodate the growing number of ships waiting to dock. Some vessels have been drifting or anchored for weeks as continued shortages of dock workers, truck drivers, and limited warehouse storage are blamed for the decreased processing rate. The Port of LA's director said container dwell time "has reached its peak since the surge began." (AC: The ongoing logistics constraints show no signs of relief throughout the remainder of 2021. Increased shipping rates, regardless of delays, are being passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices. Expect continued decreased availability in items manufactured overseas as port congestion and disruptions globally remain persistent issues. - D.M.)

 

[Stomper]

"The Great Reset" is ramping up…"You will own nothing, and be happy."



May you "progressives" live in interesting times.
(BTW- that's a Chinese insult)

 

[USMC-03]

May you "progressives" live in interesting times.
(BTW- that's a Chinese insult)

More of a curse as I understand it but you've caught the meaning. Unfortunately the utopian progressives are going to drag everyone down with their failed ideas; re-education camps are on the horizon.

The primary rules for navigating the upcoming decade or two -

Physically fit, precious metals stored, pantry full, people trained, planned defenses, pie-hole shut.

 

[Stomper]

More of a curse as I understand it but you've caught the meaning. Unfortunately the utopian progressives are going to drag everyone down with their failed ideas; re-education camps are on the horizon.

The primary rules for navigating the upcoming decade or two -

Physically fit, precious metals stored, pantry full, people trained, planned defenses, pie-hole shut.

 

[OldBroad44]

Between stimmy checks, mask mandates and needle mandates... work is being DIS-incentivized and not-work is getting what in my Econ classes we called "perverse incentives."

They'll stay away from my place if they know what's good for them. I got no use for perverts, even if they are inventors!