The construction sector is facing a pricing and scheduling “nightmare”, due to global supply chain issues, Bahamian Contractors Association President Michael Pratt said yesterday.
According to Pratt, orders for some materials needed for the construction sector are backed up as much as six months.
Pratt, who made the remarks during The Counselors Limited’s Supply Chain Crunch webinar, called the global supply chain issue a “perfect storm”.
He said the impact of shipping problems at the Panama Canal, Suez Canal and ports in the United States are affecting the local construction sector.
He added that shipping companies have now been forced to rush contractors to empty shipping containers because of the global shortage of containers and the need for shipping companies to keep their schedules tight.
“Previously, a contractor could rely on a local shipping company to support a container for three to four days,” said Pratt. “Supporting now is one day. This is the type of impact it has on our industry.”
Pratt said these problems come while there has been a spike in home construction, due to families accommodating home offices and new spaces for kids in their homes, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He said many people have put the blame for slow construction outcomes on contractors, not understanding the supply chain problems.
“It impacts your entire job if you can’t close that building up,” said Pratt. “The contractor is being blamed for these delays.”
He said now contractors are not able to guarantee prices or completion schedules.
“Right now, it is a constantly changing environment,” he said.
According to Pratt, it is time for Bahamians to import more raw materials and begin manufacturing finished products locally to bring costs down for the construction sector and other sectors.
He suggested that it may be time to import untreated lumber, which he said is lighter and less expensive to ship, and have that wood treated locally.
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source https://thenassauguardian.com/construction-sector-facing-nightmare-from-supply-chain-issues/
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