Supply chains and COVID-19

The onset of this virus across the globe has created havoc in the economies everywhere. The possible exceptions being Zimbabwe and the newly socialist Venezuela.

The virus had not yet hit South Africa and we were already feeling the effects as our heavy reliance on Chinese industry began to take effect. The majority of manufactured goods have their origins in the numerous industrial centres scattered all over Mainland China.

Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries (LiFePO4) are mostly manufactured in China, along with the photo-voltaic (PV) panels. Canadian Solar, Canadian in design, research and ownership, is ‘made in China’.

Supply on these items were almost immediately felt in the renewable industry. Local battery manufacturers or perhaps more accurately: added value assemblers still get their cells from China. Delivery and supply on these can now take up to three months from date of order. This delivery date still comes with an asterix next to that as at this stage as our already snail paced ports are now under quarantine protocols. This means that before ships can deliever their goods to port, their crew needs to be tested negative for the virus. That can take some time.

Name an industry and it will have been directly impacted by this virus. Sticking to our maritme theme, batten down the hatches, this is going to hurt everyone especially the marginalised and those predisposed to certain immune shortcomings.

It may well permanently change the way many of us do business, a wiseman once said necessity is the mother of all invention!

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