The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted supply chains all over the world, causing domestic shortages of products like produce, meat, and toilet paper on grocery store shelves. Prescription drugs, whose main ingredients come from China and are produced in India, will become in short supply because the countries are locked down and not shipping to the U.S. About 90% of all pharmaceutical ingredients are made outside the U.S., according to National Bureau of Economic Research.1
While food manufacturers have to ramp up to meet the increased demand, some plants are struggling with steep reductions. Automotive firms that use chemicals for paint, rubber, and plastics have seen reduced demand, forcing the auto plants to shut down. According to the American Chemistry Council (ACC), more than $3,000 worth of chemicals are used in every vehicle.When auto plants shut down, chemical manufacturers lose revenues.