(Newswire.net — April 26, 2020) —
The coronavirus pandemic has affected many businesses globally, especially in the manufacture and delivery of products. Moreover, it has created a global problem for the vape industry since manufacturers aren’t able to produce and deliver vape hardware.
Currently, there are 2,501,156 confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally, and the number keeps growing. The economy is already feeling the impact of this virus, and some people predict a recession occurring soon if there is no cure.
Unfortunately, the vape industry is one of the most affected businesses as a result of this pandemic. There is a massive shortage in supply of vape products and hardware to the US markets due to the inability of production and delivery.
Vaping industry in China
Most of the vape hardware used in the United States is from Shenzhen, China, which is the vaping capital of the world. Ever since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has been on lockdown, putting a halt on its economy. This has, in turn, affected the production and manufacture of vape hardware.
Besides, many companies have fallen behind in production, which only means they can’t create enough equipment for the entire US market. And, if this continues, vape hardware will eventually run out in the country resulting in a massive shortage.
The Chinese government is torn between restarting the economy or continuing with the massive quarantine of citizens to stop the spread of the virus. Moreover, vaping production companies in China are in no rush to resume normal operations, despite encouragement from local authorities.
For example, in Shenzhen, vaping businesses have been allowed to resume their production if they put in place strict safety measures that curb the spread of COVID-19. But, many citizens fear contracting the coronavirus and prefer staying at home.
If this continues, the US will have no other means of production, and eventually, vape products will deplete and run out. Some of the vape products that are experiencing shortage include coils, pods, and atomizers.
China and the US
Although COVID-19 is the main culprit of the shortage of vape production globally, vape manufacturers are struggling with rising tariffs due to the trade war between China and the United States.
Increase in demand and no supply
Some states are witnessing an increase in vape and cannabis sales now that more people are home to protect themselves against the coronavirus. However, there isn’t enough vape hardware to satisfy everyone’s needs. Companies with vape hardware are running out of stock quicker than usual. And, some are selling out.
While this is good for the vaping industry, it doesn’t do much good in the long run if the country isn’t shipping any more vaping products. Vape industries in the US are worried they’ll run out of business sooner if demand ramps up while supply remains non-existent.
Fears of products made in China
The origin of the coronavirus is in Wuhan, China, before it spread to other parts of the globe through physical contact. This has created a fear of products made in China from vapers who suspect they can contact the virus through them.
People started raising concerns about COVID-19 spreading from vape products manufactured and shipped from China when reports of the virus spreading through Wuhan came out. Luckily, the coronavirus only lives on surfaces for a short amount of time. Therefore, the likelihood of one contracting it is minimal.
According to WHO, the coronavirus lives on stainless steel and plastic for three days and on cardboard for 24hrs. Hence, the time it takes to pack and ship products from China to the US is enough to kill the virus.
Long term effects
It’s still early to tell what effects the coronavirus will have on the vape industry in the long run. However, we know that production delays in China will continue affecting the supply of vape products in the country, resulting in shortages.