As the adhesives and sealants industry continues to grapple with issues within the supply chain, what could be the next often-ignored fundamental of business waiting to disrupt the industry?
In my career, I have spent a bit of time covering the challenges facing industry, particularly those attached to the chemical industry. In 2007, I had just started working for ASI’s sister publication, Paint and Coatings Industry, when the Great Recession hit. I watched industry cope as the world economies teetered on the brink. I watched economies slowly recover from that shock. And I have watched over the last three years as industry faced challenges that seemed to be coming at it from all angles, including a global pandemic, unprecedented chemical shortages because of one deep freeze in Texas, and a surprising escalation of a conflict between two of the largest countries in Europe. The cover topic of this month’s issue – the supply chain – has grown in prominence over the past few years, such that it is most often cited as one of the top issues facing our industry and in fact our entire economy.
Lately, I have been thinking about what lies ahead for the adhesives and sealants industry. What is the next often-ignored fundamental of business waiting to disrupt our industry? I believe there is a possibility that labor might be the next sleeping bear we aren’t thinking enough about. The trucking industry is giving a sneak peak into what the future could hold; that industry is currently unable to find enough truckers to hire, as the current workforce ages and younger people show less interest in joining the profession.