Due to a supposed new COVID-19 strain, Chinese New Year shut down will come early this year, at around January 8th. Normally this happens around January 20. The biggest celebrations occur shortly before Friday, February 12, 2021. Sources tell us they're seeing manufacturers shut down early, leaving early, to get their travel in early to avoid missing out on Chinese New Year celebrations this year.
This means if you don't have an order ready to leave your manufacturer this week, it's probably not going to leave until the ned of February or into March.
Last year Chinese New Year celebrations were massively impacted by COVID-19. The Chinese virus left millions of Chinese stranded unable to return to manufacturing plants following celebrations. This led to a strain on the supply chain for months well into 2021. I read data China released that there's no current COVID cases in China but the boots on the ground so to speak, the actual manufacturers, are clearly reacting to what they think their own government will do this year. They predict more shut downs. Just like what is happening in most of Europe.
Personally, I think shut downs cause more problems than the pandemic. I think we should fight against the shut downs. As you compare states like Florida, which is completely open, and has no mask mandate even, it has the same COVID stats as does California who has been massively shut down, and has mask mandates. I don't know how people are surviving in California when millions can't even work or have a job.
Rant aside - we are going to clearly see world wide impacts going into 2021. Whether from the virus itself, or governments reacting. The concept of just in time supply chain management is dead. I declared it's death time last year. And today you need to have up to a year of supply of your goods or you will absolutley face stock outs.