Over the last 25 years, the offshoring of manufacturing
has been a trend that impacts every industry.
Construction has always been a highly competitive
environment with costs needing to be maintained or reduced at
every milestone in order to maintain profits. It was inevitable that
import products would be relied upon to help keep costs low on
materials where code and specs would allow. Whether the conversation
is about safety equipment, fasteners, steel or even lumber,
lowest cost has been the name of the game.
Unfortunately, relying on import products and outsourced distribution
has caused a break in the supply chain with recent events.
While some advocates of reshoring have been louder than others
in recent years, everyone in the industry and arguably the nation is
supportive of that movement now. When COVID-19 hit China and
other areas of the world that provide manufactured goods, production
slowed and, in some cases, shuttered. Not too long after, maritime
trade and activity came to an abrupt halt and air traffic soon
followed. Included in that halt was cargo, which created shortages
of products in the United States.
Domestically, essential businesses stayed open to help maintain
our basic services including infrastructure, construction and manufacturing.
Local distribution was also essential to support these
industries. However, a major problem revealed there is not enough
domestic production. Whether it is trucks to move product, drivers
to man them or raw materials and facilities to manufacture
goods for distribution, the supply chain was tapped.
It has impacted everything from medical devices, safety
equipment, and, yes, even toilet paper. Eventually, the markets
and supply chain will normalize. At this point, no one has any
idea when that will happen. The important thing for everyone
to remember when it does is that we need to maintain selfreliance
in order to be a resilient nation. While material costs
are a component that must be considered in construction management,
on-time delivery and quality products need to remain
a priority.
There are some companies that have been there from the start
and will be there for you when called. Construction is essential to
the quality and consistency of our nation’s infrastructure, especially
the civil and marine construction so many readers of this
publication provide or directly support. What we as an industry
do next will determine the future success of the country and our
reputation. Let’s keep building this great nation and support the
companies that keep our labor and materials at home.
“Be American, Buy American.” t
leolintang/123RF
SUPPLY CHAIN
Be American, Buy American
A new era for building materials
By Andrew Harris, Lodge Lumber
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