U.S. firms in Vietnam hit by coronavirus supply chain issues: AmCham survey

[February 14, 2020]  HANOI (Reuters) - U.S. manufacturing firms operating in Vietnam are suffering supply chain issues caused by the coronavirus epidemic, according to a survey of American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) members in Vietnam, the business chamber said on Friday.

People drive motorbikes near pedestrians wearing face masks in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam February 13, 2020. Picture taken February 13, 2020. REUTERS/Yen Duong

"More than half of our members in the manufacturing sector are experiencing difficulty sourcing supplies/materials due to disruptions from the coronavirus," AmCham Executive Director Adam Sitkoff said in an emailed statement, citing the AmCham survey.

More than one-third of members say current supply chain disruptions are already seriously impacting their company's global operations, the statement said, adding that the biggest challenges are securing alternative materials and goods, along with inventory management.

"Supply chain disruptions and travel restrictions are and will continue to impact many business sectors," Sitkoff said.

The majority of U.S. firms with operations in China expect a virus outbreak to cut revenue this year, and some are accelerating plans to shift their supply chains out of the country, according to a poll by Shanghai's American Chamber of Commerce.

(Reporting by Khanh Vu and James Pearson; editing by David Evans)

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