If the past year and a half has taught U.S. manufacturers anything, it’s that the global supply chain is interconnected and fragile. For breweries, it means that getting those final printed or labeled cans delivered can be a challenge, even as can makers work overtime to add capacity.
“There are other raw materials in the supply chain that affect availability,” says Melody Meyer, vice president of sales and marketing for American Canning, a can distributor. “It’s not just the can itself. There might be other things in the supply chain, whether it’s ink or film, or even just pallets when lumber went through the roof … that affect your overall cost.”