Acrylic Shortages Due to Covid!

TaylorPilot · Jun 9, 2020

I have had an increasingly hard time getting clear, and now black, acrylic. Businesses all over the world are buying up all the 1/4" clear acrylic at record rates to produce sneeze guards at retail check out lines. Because of the increased need for clear, they have stopped making as many colored and translucent lines, to up their clear production. I was told by a major US vendor that they are being told it may be 6 months before clear stocks are back to a sustainable level, assuming that demand doesn't increase again as more businesses open back up. For now, "my guy" has been able to get me what I need with a minimum of wait time, but who knows if they will get worse, or when things will be back to normal. It is amazing how an increase in demand for something simple can disrupt supply chains across the entire planet. Once this is over, I wonder where all these millions of pounds of worthless acrylic sheets are gonna go (JK, I know, landfills)...I sure am ready for Covid to be over and done with.

squampton · Jun 9, 2020

A lot of places I have been seem to have installed and planned their acrylic protectors in a way where it seems they may just leave them permanently. But time will tell. Wal-Mart didn't put theirs high enough, if you taller than like 5'6 your taller than the protectors they put up, at least at my local store.

WallyB · Jun 9, 2020

TaylorPilot said:
I have had an increasingly hard time getting clear, and now black, acrylic. Businesses all over the world are buying up all the 1/4" clear acrylic at record rates to produce sneeze guards at retail check out lines. Because of the increased need for clear, they have stopped making as many colored and translucent lines, to up their clear production. I was told by a major US vendor that they are being told it may be 6 months before clear stocks are back to a sustainable level, assuming that demand doesn't increase again as more businesses open back up. For now, "my guy" has been able to get me what I need with a minimum of wait time, but who knows if they will get worse, or when things will be back to normal. It is amazing how an increase in demand for something simple can disrupt supply chains across the entire planet. Once this is over, I wonder where all these millions of pounds of worthless acrylic sheets are gonna go (JK, I know, landfills)...I sure am ready for Covid to be over and done with.

I never thought about the Acrylic Supply thing.
Of course it makes sense.

I guess when COVID thing is over (if ever), there may be plenty of discount acrlyic available (if you don't mind wiping off the sneezes).