The lack of raw material has been hurting all industry and especially the CNC machining industry. Whether it's a CNC Milling machine or a CNC lathe turning center or a CNC Rotary transfer, whatever can produce metal parts is not able to produce parts due to the sheer lack of raw materials.

This is an unprecedented time in the history of our country to where not only is there a lack of metals but also skilled labor. Any and all CNC shops are hurting due to this lack of material and people. Machines are sitting idle waiting on raw material. It just doesn't seem as though the mills can make the metal fast enough.

The reason for these shortages all goes back to COVID and the shutdown of 2020. That small interruption caused an immediate drop in supply because mills, if they ran, produced at a reduced capacity. This is now causing monumental change in production, employee attendance and now prices. As this backup continues and labor is more scarce, labor costs are actually increasing. If it costs employers more to staff a machine then the cost of that widget will increase. If that widget goes into a panel of a vehicle then that panel will cost more and if the panel cost more then the vehicle will cost more. Now, consider this increase for more than just that one widget and instead every component on that vehicle. This cost is significantly different as compared to 1 year ago. Sure, our labor force is higher paid but everything also now costs more as well so are we really better off than before? This is yet to be determined.