By Ashley Reyes
The supply-chain issues that impacted the United States over the past few years largely peaked and are starting to recover.
According to the new “2023 SEMA Future Trends – January 2023” report, supply-chain issues are expected to improve in 2023, but it will take time to return to pre-pandemic levels, especially with supplies that affect the automotive sector like semiconductors (or chips).
According to the SEMA study:
- The specialty-equipment industry has been affected. More than 90% of companies have been moderately or severely impacted by supply-chain issues. Most expect things to normalize by the end of 2023 or into 2024.
- Ports are less congested. Container ports in the United States, like in Los Angeles or Long Beach, are no longer as congested with container ships waiting for berths. As a result, prices have returned to pre-pandemic levels.
- Trucking is improving nationwide. Demand for cross-country hauling by truckers has eased and the number of trucks available to ship things has increased. Prices have also dropped from their record highs.
- Semiconductor, or chip, shortages continue. Shortages, most notably for the automotive sector, continue to linger. Average lead delivery times for chips decreased but remain high, at approximately 25.5 weeks as of October 2022.
For an in-depth analysis on how port congestion has eased, projections for supply-chain improvement by manufacturer/distributor/retailer, and prices for shipping by truck, download the “SEMA Future Trends – January 2023” for free at www.sema.org/research.