Crude spike and hoarding create plastic packaging shortages.

Thimmiah Napanda, Managing Director & CEO, Alternicq, highlighted that the current disruption extends beyond rising resin prices to availability challenges caused by supply tightening and inventory build-up across the industry. He noted that businesses are prioritising supply continuity over cost, with procurement cycles nearly doubling as companies build buffers for peak demand. “Not having inventory could mean losing much larger revenue,” he observed, underscoring the shift from margin optimisation to supply security. Napanda believes that companies with strong supplier relationships and scale are better positioned to navigate the volatility, while smaller players face disproportionate challenges.

Plastic packagers face crunch as crude spike, hoarding bite (Print)