China’s makers of lockdown goods eyeing next windfall as coronavirus shutdowns return to the West
- China’s exports have boomed as factories churn out goods for work and play amid renewed coronavirus lockdowns in Europe and the United States
- While second windfall may not be as big as the first, factories across China’s manufacturing heartland expect the good times to keep rolling well into next year
As they churn out goods being consumed around the world, manufacturers in China are licking their chops at the prospect of an end-of-year windfall amid fresh coronavirus outbreaks and economic upheaval in Europe and America.
It marks a remarkable turnaround from the start of the year. China’s industrial heartlands ground to a halt in the first quarter as the pandemic spread like wildfire, leading to bankruptcies, mass lay-offs and the nation’s first-ever official economic contraction.
But China’s relatively quick containment of the virus resulted in factories being up and running in time to produce the electronic goods, household appliances, furniture and medical supplies that the world needed as the virus fanned out across the planet.
Now, with fresh lockdowns in the West, factories are struggling to keep pace with overseas orders. The second lockdown boom may not be as big as the first – people are unlikely to again deck out their homes with office equipment, and a second home video projector purchase might be too extravagant.
03:39
Coronavirus: Europe’s second wave puts hospitals under pressure again as cases soar
But in busy factories around China, manufacturers are not inclined to complain.
