The little yellow ball is going through painful moments. In the United States, on the shelves of stores, it is difficult to find the necessary equipment to play tennis. Manufacturers and distributors confirm to Vice that there is a shortage of tennis balls across the Atlantic. The cause ? “Delays in ports,” said a Head Penn Racquet Sports employee. “Most manufacturers are currently experiencing delays in recovering from the effects of the pandemic,” confirms for his part an employee of Tennis Express.
But we have to go back further to understand the root of the problem. According to Vice, two years ago a tariff battle had already hit the tennis ball industry. Produced at low prices, buyers are more likely to prioritize the cost of the equipment, rather than the brand. Many brands are thus encouraged to relocate their production abroad, like Head, ten years ago, we learn from the Washington Post. In all, $ 25 million had been invested in a factory in China … for a total production of 100 million bales worldwide.
A return in mid-September
Its other competitor, Wilson, was recently acquired by a Chinese conglomerate and has relocated its production to Thailand. Worse still, some brands like Penn don’t even have a factory in the United States anymore. But problem, with the health crisis, many delays are deplored in port facilities, while containers arrive almost empty across the Atlantic. Among manufacturers, the future of tennis balls is still uncertain. At Tennis Warehouse, a restocking is expected in mid-September. But no rebound in production is envisaged for the moment.
>> To read also – Why the Delta variant could become the worst enemy for your sneakers
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