Assessing the Impact of Hurricane Harvey

A special report from ISM on the impacts of Hurricane Harvey has found there will be ongoing challenges around pricing, speed of delivery and certain commodities due to the storm’s destructive path through Houston, Texas.  

Facts, not fear. Back in July 2016, ISM’s CEO Tom Derry told Procurious why his organisation had put out a special report on the impact of Brexit in the U.S. “…There has been an enormous amount of speculation … fed by a sense of unease and uncertainty. ISM was in a position to gather real data and put the information out there so businesses can make informed decisions based on facts, rather than fear, concern or emotion.”

ISM has once again demonstrated leadership when disruption hits by producing a special paper addressing the potential economic impact of Hurricane Harvey, replacing existing speculation with data-based information to help affected business plan their response and recovery.

Houston, Texas, is home to the sixth largest import terminal in the world and a nexus for shipping lanes in the gulf coast. Strong economic linkages between the gulf coast and the U.S. as a whole mean that Harvey’s impact will extend far beyond the storm-hit area.

ISM’s survey of purchasing and supply executives nationally (not just in the affected area) found that the biggest challenges are expected with pricing, supplier deliveries and commodities such as fuel and plastics. Encouragingly, the data indicates that the effect on production, new orders and employment will be minimal.

Most impacted metrics: Prices and speed of delivery

• Two-thirds (67%) of responding supply managers believe input materials pricing will be negatively impacted to some degree over the next three months.
• 27% anticipate input materials prices will be negatively or very negatively impacted.
• Over half (56%) feel supplier deliveries will be negatively impacted to some degree over the next three months.
• 19% expect deliveries to be negatively or very negatively impacted.

Moderately impacted: Production, new orders and inventory level

• A majority feel Harvey’s impact on production, new orders and inventory will be neither positive nor negative.
• One in five are concerned about somewhat negative impacts, but only 1 in 10 foresee more negative impacts in the next three months.

Low impact: Employment

The good news is that business will not be laying off staff as a result of the Hurricane’s impact. Over 80% of respondents feel that employment will be neither positively nor negatively impacted by Harvey.

Commodities potentially in short supply

With the Houston area known for its fuel and petrochemical production, the following commodities could be in short supply for the next three months: fuel; plastic resins; chemicals; electronic components; feedstocks, chemicals (raw); gasoline; polypropylene; resin-based products; building materials; electrical components; LDPE; plasticizer; caustic soda; ethylene; HDPE; LLDPE; methyl methacrylate; petroleum based products; and isocyanate. 27 of 36 industries report that they expect to be impact by potential shortages of the above commodities.

My Brilliant Procurement Career Survey: we have a winner!

• Over 500 procurement professionals took Procurious’ survey on career management in the profession.
• Congratulations to our prize-winner Steven Reddish, a commercial supply coordinator based in Waikato, New Zealand. Enjoy your quadcopter!
• Findings from the report will be published here on Procurious in mid-October.