Rising raw-material prices, congestion at ports, insufficient labor and domestic transport capacity, skyrocketing costs for shipping, unfavorable monetary exchange rates and more – they’ve all combined to wreak complete havoc on the global supply chain. The COVID-19 pandemic started this chain of events, and the situation is so dire that global sourcing experts expect the disruption to last into 2022 – or maybe even beyond.

The ripple effects have touched every facet of the economy and business, including the promotional products industry. As a result, the promo industry is experiencing inventory shortfalls, higher product prices, lower customer service levels, longer production times, shortages of important decorating materials like screen-printing ink and delays in order delivery. How bad is the situation? These numbers tell the story.