Material Shortages & Inflation
The finishes and interiors sector is facing unprecedented material shortages and inflation in a number of areas (including gypsum products, steel, fixings, insulation, sealants and adhesives and timber).
Over the past two years the finishes and interiors sector has faced intense supply issues, these have continued into 2023 and FIS is urging the supply chain to heed the advice of the Construction Leadership Council and apply the lessons learned in 2020 about working in partnership and collaboration. This is a issue for the entire supply chain, but specialist contractors are reporting these acute challenges are being ignored in the wake of pressure to simply maintain programme and adhere to a fixed price contractual culture that is not designed to cope with inflation at current levels. This situation is unacceptable, we need to be working together, alert and reactive to the challenges on the ground and focussed on the very real risks of undermining specifications, warranties and even compliance and, at the same time, destroying businesses in our rush to get the job done.
You can access the latest FIS Statement and guidance on Material Shortages and Inflation (which provides a backdrop and links to available price index sources) here.
You can access the latest Construction Leadership Council Product Availability Statement here.
Construction Product Availability Statement
Construction Product Availability: 30 March 2022 Statement from John Newcomb, CEO of the Builders Merchants Federation and Peter Caplehorn, CEO of the Construction Products Association, co-chairs of the Construction Leadership Council’s Product Availability working...
Inflation continues to squeeze supply chain
Inflation has hit the headlines this week with figures not seen since the early 1990s reported by the Bank of England. Against this backdrop Iain McIlwee, CEO at the Finishes and Interiors Sector (FIS) reveals new data from the FIS that raises concerns over the...
FIS Statement: Shortages in the finishes and interiors sector, the what, why, when and how?
Latest update 30th March The year started with concerns around labour, which endure, but it is the material shortages of 2021 are starting to give way to energy related concerns linked to the escalation of tragic events in Ukraine. Key areas impacting FIS members are...