Factories in the U.S. are churning through their inventories as logistical problems keep some manufacturers from restocking rapidly enough to keep up with rising demand, The Wall Street Journal reports.
American factories’ sales rose 8% in September from the prior year, while their inventories grew just 5% during the same period, according to fresh data from the Commerce Department.
While the sales increase bodes well for economic growth, some analysts worry about the challenges some factory owners face in restocking fast enough to keep up.
U.S. economic output rose in the second and third quarters at the fastest annual rates in nearly four years, fueling robust demand for manufactured products. Global economic growth also helped propel sales of American-made goods, though some of the world’s major economies have showed signs of slowing in the third quarter.
However, a truck-driver shortage in the U.S. has delayed shipments and pushed up delivery costs, making it difficult for some factory owners to keep themselves comfortably stocked.
