Coronavirus Impact on Retail Goods: Update
To our valued United Uniforms / Sew Shore Clientele
The Coronavirus has been all over the news, and it's hard not to ignore it. We are thankful for our clientele of doctors, nurses, and first responders who have provided many answers to put our fears at rest. We encourage everyone to explore the facts and available statistics, or consult a professional physician, and not feed into fear. As a result of the news, we've been frequently asked about the Coronavirus and it's impact on our business lately. We can assure that we are not immediately concerned. However, we want to provide you "facts" of what we do know.
We are monitoring status updates and assessments regarding the impact of the Coronavirus and production amongst our various vendors. We will do our best to keep you up to speed on what we know and if it will impact any of your business with us. Our biggest concern is supply chain interruptions for our uniform apparel offerings. We have been told by the majority of our vendors that, currently, most inventory levels are stable. However, any impacts would not be felt immediately, rather months down the road. Here is some of the latest information we have to share:
Factories are re-opening but, not at full capacity
Turnaround speed depends largely on raw material factories operating, not necessarily production factories back online
Incoming freight ships are stuck in Chinese harbors waiting for unloading, thus impacting outgoing shipments.
Fortunately, many of our apparel vendors do not rely exclusively on China for their production needs. In fact, some factories have transferred their production to other countries such as Pakistan, Mexico, and Haiti. However, the long term impact disruption will be for raw materials that China produces such as zippers, buttons, thread, and some fabrics.
We remain optimistic that our retail stores will not feel or see the impact of any interruptions due to Coronavirus. We trust our vendors and their teams will work to manage the situation and their inventory levels. We also extend our appreciation for those returning to work and compassion for those directly affected by the Coronavirus.
Feel free to contact me directly with any further questions. Thanks for your visit and support, and stop in to see us soon!
Sincerely,
Jason Marshall