Supply bottlenecks for imported goods - companies rely on non-Asian suppliers
Supply bottlenecks for goods from China are already affecting Swiss trade and individual customers such as the construction industry. The import of cameras, construction machinery or floor plates is delayed. There is also a lack of spare parts for construction machinery, which can slow down repairs. So far, however, Swiss trade has been able to compensate for most of the bottlenecks by switching to other suppliers.
In view of the coronavirus crisis, Swiss trade is running at full speed. From products for the daily needs of the population to goods for the business activities of a wide variety of companies - all of this must be available as smoothly as possible and on time. This is also true in view of disrupted supply chains, as can be observed at the moment, especially from China and Italy.
Supply bottlenecks for spare parts
Problems are caused by the temporary closures of plants in China, declining freight capacities and delayed shipments. So far, this has led to supply bottlenecks in the areas of electronics, raw materials for plastics production or rare earths. Today, individual devices such as cameras, cell phones and PC components are already affected by delivery delays. For many products, such as vinyl flooring, China is now the main or sole producer. A lack of spare parts and components for machinery is also leading to delivery problems with repercussions for the wider economy. For example, work on construction sites is delayed because new construction machinery has not been delivered.
"Home office in retail not a solution"
For Kaspar Engeli (pictured), Director of Handel Schweiz, the umbrella organization for the retail industry, the functioning retail industry is primarily thanks to the 680,000 employees in Swiss retail. "They are reliably on hand, react flexibly to conditions that change daily or even hourly, and are the backbone of goods availability in Switzerland. After all, home office is not a nationwide solution in Swiss retail. The presence in the stores, the management of the warehouses in the stationary as well as in the online retail, the logistics in the delivery - everywhere the employees of the retail companies are challenged. In addition, employees in the stores are in contact with a great many people and have to protect themselves from the virus infection on an ongoing basis." As far as supply bottlenecks in wholesale are concerned, the director of Handel Schweiz says: "Here, it's proven that some companies rely on other producers in other countries in addition to suppliers from Asia."
Source: Trade Switzerland
