We thought that we were over this mess. We felt that the supply chain was starting to normalize a little bit… even if it was just faint signs of normalcy. Containers are becoming more available, some of the smaller items are getting halfway to normal stock levels (a big improvement), and lead times on some products were holding their own, and or even improving ever so slightly.
We thought that the days of repeated price increases were starting to decrease in amount and in frequency. But then, here we go again. We just received price increases from several major manufacturers that range from 2.5% to 10%, and they take effect on October 1. We are feverishly updating pricing in our system, and will agree to hold pricing that was previously quoted for 30-days. But, there is not much more that we can do.
What can you do:
Think ahead: If you have received a commitment from your company to move forward with any modernization, please don’t delay in letting us know. Even if we arrange a delayed shipment, getting a purchase order in to the manufacturer (most times) will lock in pricing.
Don’t delay: So folks remember the good old days where you order something and it ships in a reasonable time period. Those days are, unfortunately, gone for now. Factories are having labor and raw materials issues, and if they have no rubber to make backwash valve diaphragms, they have NO diaphragms. These delays can extend for months, not days or weeks, so please don’t delay once you have committed to do something.
Let us know that something is coming up: Along the same lines, if you have an inclination that some work is going to get authorized, let
us know. Sometimes we can buy and stock products awaiting your team’s preferred timing.
Maintain what you have: The best way to save money during these turbulent times is to not buy anythin unnecessarily. The #1 way to avoid that is to make sure that your UV, Ozone, heaters, chlorinators, saline systems, pumps, etc. are receiving the recommended preventive maintenance. As we mentioned a few weeks ago, saline chambers that commonly last for 4+ years are being destroyed in 18 months, because the pool operator wasn’t paying attention to their stabilizer or phosphate levels, or cleaning the unit as necessary. No one wins when you need to replace equipment prematurely.
Plan for the future: Now is a popular time to look at the condition of the equipment room, estimate what might need to be upgraded and when, and make 3-5 year plans to stay ahead of the issues. Our field team can provide a quick, no-cost, site evaluation, and answer any questions regarding new technologies, DOH codes, trends, or treatment options.
Please contact your CES rep and let us know what we can do to help you. We are looking forward to the return to normalcy, but can’t really estimate when that might occur. Thanks for your patience as we all go through this unreal time in our history.
