My supply company told me today cal hypo shock may not be available for the rest of the year.
The U.S. production of chlorine is still not back to normal.
Since August 2020, Chlorine tablets has been in short supply. This was mainly due to the hurricane-caused destruction of a major chlorine manufacturing plant. That plant is still not rebuilt as of now, so the pinch on chlorine supply continues today.
The shortage of chlorine has forced pool pros and homeowners to switch to non-stabilized chlorine. As expected, demand for those non-stabilized chlorine types–mainly liquid chlorine–has increased substantially. Anyone paying attention noticed multiple price increases in 2021 alone. On top of that, the chlorine shortage led to a shortage of muriatic acid too.
As each commodity became harder to get, consumers shifted to alternatives, which then caused their demand to rise. Price increases followed. 'Supply and demand' is Economics 101, and we don't need to elaborate on it. Let's focus on specifics in the pool industry. We have chosen not to talk about pool equipment and building materials for simplicity's sake.
Here are just some of the chemicals that will be harder to get in 2022:
Chlorine Tabs. Yes, the shortage continues. We expect it will continue for another year or so, or until the chlorine manufacturing plant is back up and running at full speed. Pre-covid, a bucket of tabs could be purchased at almost any pool store or wholesale distributor. This year, that may not be the case.
Liquid chlorine. Yes, it will be harder to get liquid chlorine in 2022. Not only because the finished product itself is more difficult to get, but because elemental chlorine itself is harder to get. This elemental chlorine shortage is largely due to increased demand for other chlorine-consuming industries–namely PVC pipes/fittings and household cleaning products. Yes, we were surprised to learn just how much the PVC industry requires chlorine (PVC stands for polyvinyl chloride).
Muriatic acid. The same companies that produce and bottle liquid chlorine often produce and bottle muriatic acid too. Shortages up and down the supply chain led to issues producing muriatic acid. When summer 2022 hits and full demand resumes, expect shortages and price increases.
Cal Hypo. Granular cal hypo shock was not as dramatically impacted by COVID supply chain shortages, but it's safe to expect some in 2022. This is not the fault of the manufacturers, it's just the reality of manufacturing right now.
In general, these shortages either stem from a lack of people or raw materials. And often it's a combination of both. For instance, if raw materials are imported from overseas, you can bet those products will be more expensive and harder to find in 2022.