From paints to plastics, a chemical shortage ignites prices
Billy Wommack, purchasing director at the W.S. Jenks & Sons hardware, poses in front of the hardware store, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021, in northeast Washington. The chemical shortages, and a near doubling of oil prices in the past year, mean higher prices for many goods. The W.S. Jenks & Son hardware store is only getting 20% to 30% of paint it needs to meet customer demand without backordering; in normal times the so-called fill rate usually runs 90%. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
By PAUL WISEMAN and TOM KRISHER
AP Business Writers
In an economy upended by the coronavirus, shortages and price spikes have hit everything from lumber to computer chips. Not even toilet paper escaped...
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