Artisan Spirit: Summer 2022

Page 64

BOTTLES, BARRELS, & BARLEY M

ost distillers have probably figured out the continue through 2023 before possibly bad news already: Supply chains on improving as current issues unwind all manner of crucial items are a mess. themselves. But there’s more bad news: The light Richard Chapman, senior vice at the end of the tunnel is, for now, president and chief supply chain just a pinprick on the horizon, an unofficer with Saxco, a global suppliknown distance off. er of packaging materials for the Supply chain issues have stacked food and beverage alcohol indusup since the beginning of the tries, said the current situation is COVID-19 pandemic, including the worst he’s seen in his 30-year lockdowns and staffing issues that career working in supply chains. A TH TO impact production and transportation, major factor is the prolonged nature W RITTE N BY G ABE skyrocketing demand for barrels, a historof the disruption, which has now exically bad domestic harvest of malting barley, tended for more than two years and inthe Great Resignation, war in Europe, and potencorporates multiple global issues. In the past, tial union contract issues that would further disrupt ophe said, there might be strikes, catastrophic weather erations at major West Coast ports. occurrences, natural disasters, or other occurrences, but From grain to barrels to bottles and cans, distillers of these would generally be resolved in six to nine months. all sizes are feeling the pinch of rising prices and reduced “At this time, it’s a perfect storm where a lot of things availability. By some accounts, the current situation will are happening,” he said.

A glimpse into the varied t nature of curren supply-chain woes

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