Ramp up time

To suddenly ramp up production takes time based on the product. Many products are produced two or three shifts per day so they can start up the third shift and work weekends but often times the supply chain limits production. An extreme case is the poultry industry. There 320 USDA plants and each produces about 100,000 birds per day running two shifts, five days per week and cleaning the third shift. To increase production is not limited by plant time but by increasing the number of birds. It starts with the basic breeders that produce laying hens. This is about 20 weeks. These hens produce eggs that hatch in three weeks and then another 8 weeks to grow to 3.5 pounds to process. Thus it takes about 8 months to increase production in the processing plants. Looking at face masks is a different story. This COVID-19 pandemic era is not the first time Prestige Ameritech has faced a sudden surge in demand for its products. The company faced a similar rush during the H1N1 outbreak in 2009 and hired hundreds of additional workers to cope. But as soon as that outbreak was over, its U.S. customers shifted back to Chinese suppliers, who can produce protective equipment at a fraction of the company’s costs, according to Wired. Some feel the government should have bought up a large reserve supply at that time but it wasn't done. Will it be done this time?