The Chinese New Year is a weeklong tradition beginning Feb. 12, 2021. During the holiday, employees receive seven days off from work, Feb. 11 through Feb. 17, but the New Year festival itself typically lasts 16 days.

　　Many factories and businesses shut down for up to 14 days before the New Year and for several days after, giving millions of China’s workers roughly three weeks to travel to and from their hometowns for the holiday — a necessity since many urban workers come from the rural countryside.

　　Effect on Global Supply Chains

　　The effect of this massive migration is a slowing of the nation’s factories to a standstill for weeks. Working to beat this anticipated pause often results in a rush on shipping immediately beforehand, which can cause delays.

　　Because of this, there is a yearly global pause on imports from China while workers travel home, enjoy their holiday, reunite with their families, and then return to work. Altogether, there is at least three or four weeks of supply chain interruption.

　　China holds an iron grip on the rare earth minerals necessary for magnet fabrication, these yearly traditions cause sourcing and supply chain disruptions beginning soon after the Western New Year, Jan. 1. Most SmCo Magnet materials are produced and refined in China — even materials that come via Europe — so this shutdown will affect our customers’ ability to place late or unexpected orders.

　　How to Plan Ahead

　　Although China’s New Year slowdown is an annual occurrence, it must be said that it is unclear what effects COVID-19 will have on shipping and delays, if any. In “normal,” non-COVID years, it is wise to plan ahead for this inevitable event.

　　Buy Ahead

　　Typically, a company should be planning their production two or even three months ahead of Chinese New Year to ensure their supply is not affected. Companies that order raw materials should be submitting orders by the end of November to be prepared for the impact the holiday will have on exports necessary for Q1.

　　Such an impact can be avoided by buying in advance and letting Alnico Ring Magnets hold your materials for you. One of the services offered at We have the ability to safely store and warehouse your excess materials, so you can order ahead and know it’s ready when you need it.

　　If you plan your usages for January through March of next year and order well in advance, we will have the material on hand, ready to ship to you when it’s time — regardless of China’s New Year.