There is good reason for increased optimism in our industry. Material availability problems, while still a concern, are increasingly limited to specialty components. The supply chain is gradually improving. Unfortunately, all material costs continue to rise with no definite end in sight.
Labor issues too remain an ongoing concern. Summer is traditionally a time for periodic labor shortages, but they are worse now in the post-pandemic period. We are adding overtime and extra shifts whenever we can to mitigate scheduled employee vacations, but filling various positions with qualified personnel remains challenging. As expected, labor costs are rising in pace with inflation in key areas of the global economy.
On the bright side, Covid19 itself is, at least for now, restricting our overall capacity much less than in the past. This is partly because we have learned to live with it to some extent, and partly because outbreaks in our locality are fewer and smaller. Nonetheless, unanticipated spot occurrences can and do impact our daily production from time to time.
At UniControl, we will not let our guard down at all because Fall 2022 could present a much different Covid situation which we cannot predict yet. We continue to vigorously monitor this and other factors that impact our activities. We always prioritize the health and well-being of our employees, customers, and community, and strive to stay current with all Federal, CDC, state, and local guidelines.
As an essential business, we always direct our efforts toward maintaining the flow of products to our customers who rely on us. And, as always, we appreciate our customers working closely with us to finetune schedules (theirs and ours) to ensure that we remain able to supply them with the most critical components. Believing that excellent communication is key to supporting our business relationships, we work vigorously with both customers and suppliers to maintain effective production levels. We renew our pledge to provide timely, honest, and realistic information to the very best of our ability. As always, we encourage our customers and suppliers to reach out to us with their needs and concerns so that we can work toward our goals together.
UniControl Inc. wishes our customers and suppliers a safe, sunny, and happy Summer 2022!