Body armor continues to increase in popularity year after year. This is believed to be due to a large number of factors, but this increase in demand has made things like lead times to be affected. This has many people wondering, is it possible to have body armor with no lead time whatsoever? Can you get your hands on some body armor as quickly as possible should you need it?
Let’s take a closer look at what goes into producing body armor, as well as the expected lead times and how they can change. Only then will you be able to decide for yourself if no lead time body armor is a possibility!
Increase in Demand for Armor
One of the biggest factors that influence the lead times and production of body armor is the demand. As we already mentioned, that demand is up and keeps increasing year after year. Most people do not consider buying body armor unless it is after a major event that they see in the news such as a mass shooting, riots, or an increase in home invasions. Soon after these events, you will generally see a spike in body armor demand.
Lately, however, these types of news stories are commonplace and seem to be happening every single day. Add in the fact that we now have social media and better avenues for educating people on protection and preparedness, and you can see why the demand has been steadily increasing. As this demand increases, especially during spikes, it can be hard to predict body armor lead times. One thing is for certain, however, and that is that production has been working nonstop in order to meet this demand!
The rise in popularity and demand for body armor is also sure to change the way things are done, as well as the increase in technology that can make production quicker and more efficient.
Body Armor Production
Another important aspect of why body armor has lead times is the actual production process. Many body armor manufacturers will try not to keep a giant surplus of body armor plates in stock as this increase costs exponentially. By keeping runs at a reasonable number, they can produce and sell body armor at more affordable prices. This also affects the body armor’s shelf life. If you have an entire warehouse full of body armor that takes a long time to sell, you may run into shorter shelf lives and customers who are receiving armor that does not have as much life remaining as possible.
The actual production process takes some time as well. After all, you do not want armor that is rushed simply to fulfill an order. When you buy body armor, you want to be assured that it is of the highest quality and that no corners were cut. This attention to detail is another major reason that most body armor plates have the lead time that they do, as they must undergo a careful production process.
Shipping and Overall Lead Time Calculation
With the demand, production, and supply you can start to get a picture of why body armor has a lead time. The last factor is actually shipping it out to you. With current supply chain issues, this can add some major time into the whole process. Shipping times have increased all over the world, delaying the time it takes to get something from point A to point B. Even if the item you order is in stock and ready to ship, it can still take a fair amount of time to get to you thanks to the shipping delays in the world today.
With this final piece of the puzzle, you can start to see the overall lead times that go into something like body armor. From start to finish, the overall process will take some time in order to complete. So that brings us back to our original question, is it possible to have no lead-time body armor? Especially considering the entire process?
Is No Lead Time Body Armor Possible?
It would be easy to say that body armor could be produced in mass quantities and stored in order to produce no extended lead times. Unfortunately, this is not as easy as it sounds. As we previously mentioned, there are many factors that go into making body armor that can’t be quickly changed. From the production process to the longer shipping times, no lead time body armor seems to be more of a dream than a reality.
Luckily, many companies are making small changes to their processes and ramping up their businesses in order to decrease lead times as much as possible. From hiring more employees to expanding their production facilities, these reputable brands are trying their best to decrease the lead times as much as they can in order to better serve you the customer. In fact, lead times for many body armor types and gear have never been lower than they are now, even with all of the additional hurdles that we now face today. Some of these amazing companies have lead times of only a few days instead of the usual few weeks that seem to be the new normal. Thanks to their dedication to better serving their customers, they have their most popular armor plates in stock and ready to ship out to you when you need it!
Final Thoughts
So is no lead-time body armor even a possibility? Well, yes and no. It is true that many companies offer some amazingly low lead times, but there are some factors that play into something like body armor that hinders it from being completely free of any lead times. The rise in popularity and demand for body armor is also sure to change the way things are done, as well as the increase in technology that can make production quicker and more efficient. No matter what, it is amazing to see the lead times we can currently enjoy when it comes to high-quality body armor from excellent companies!
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