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.
Timber shortages
The impact of coronavirus has caused significant disruption to international supply chains and resulted in a substantial reduction in stocks of wood and timber products. The UK is currently experiencing long lead times, with limited availability for immediate sale,...