By now I think we can agree that in many ways the global supply chain is broken. We have worked around sporadic shortages and have tried to protect our customers as much as possible. Unfortunately, the availability of the raw materials our industry relies on has continued to get worse. We have received word from our widow manufacturer that their aluminum supplier expects delays of up to an additional 8 to 10 weeks beyond an already intolerable 5-to-6-month lead time. The situation regarding the availability of glass is much the same story. It is a global problem, complicated by container shipping transit times and cost. At this time, shipping cost can exceed the cost of the glass.

As we tell everyone that will listen, we cannot get our trailer bodies because of a shortage of material to produce the fiberglass and the manufacture has added a 15% increase in prices, we cannot get our frames because of a steel shortage, we cannot get our bumpers, tongues, cooler or luggage racks because of a stainless-steel shortage and the costs have more than doubled.  To add to the pain of these shortages, the prices are going up, sometimes daily. Most of our prices have doubled or more. The latest increase was 45% from our painters. We are leaving no stone unturned in our effort to obtain supplies, both domestic and import.

What does that ultimately mean for you? We are currently looking at a 24-week backlog on getting windows. That is the longest delay we have so no need it listing them all, but they are running too long also. From what I have seen and the feedback I have received from colleagues in our industry, we are not unique in navigating this current volatile landscape. Some have even stopped taking orders because of these delays.

Please know that we appreciate the importance of each order in support of our business. We will continue to the fight every day and pursue all options as we work through this very difficult time. We have remained fully staffed and operational throughout 2020 and into 2021 and will continue to run full throttle for as long as we have the raw material to do so.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support. We appreciate your business.

Teresa A. Morrison

Owner, Wags Trailers