Materials shortages have reached the processing equipment industry. Anyone who has embarked on a home renovation recently knows that raw materials like plywood are scarce. Process equipment manufacturers are seeing similar shortages in materials like tubing and sheets of stainless steel.

Food processing facilities that are planning for capital expenditures in the coming months should be aware that many components are experiencing delays of up to three times the standard delivery length due to these materials shortages.

Nationally and abroad, stainless steel mills are having a hard time accessing the raw material needed to produce sheets typically used for the manufacture of processing equipment components.

The reasons for these materials shortages are many. In 2020, the pandemic caused a decrease in orders for stainless steel and its raw material, causing distributors to decrease their stocks. Inventories have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels and yet orders have started to dramatically increase in the meantime as business is better across all industries. Other issues like mill strikes, idled plants and shipping delays have compounded the situation.

Caloris subsidiary and fabrication facility Seitz Stainless has been taking steps to mitigate the effects of these materials shortages.

“We have a sound inventory of stainless steel materials,” said Scott Christman, General Manager at Seitz. “While most materials are usually ordered per specific job, we have been building our materials inventory to meet our customers’ needs during this challenging time.”

To further prevent these shortages from causing a delay in anticipated equipment deliveries, Caloris recommends companies place equipment orders well in advance of the date by which they must have the equipment installed on-site. This will allow for early ordering of any long-lead items to accommodate the increased delivery schedule.

Have Questions About Materials Shortages?

Contact us today by calling 410-822-6900 or send email to problem.solved@caloris.com. Our sales team will help you navigate the current materials shortages for a minimum impact on your equipment needs.