The ongoing pandemic has pushed many jobs to virtual settings and home-based working environments. In industries outside manufacturing, it can be seen how the pandemic has affected business. For example, take a look at Zoom stock, the price of which quadrupled during the five months following March 2020. Some companies have done away with office space altogether, claiming that they’ll stay the course on remote work even after the dust (and aerosolized nasal droplets) finally settles.

According to a recent report from Colliers, manufacturing facilities were initial hotbeds for the spread of Covid, forcing plant closures. Companies that were able to maintain some level of production saw shipping costs increase as much as four times due to logistical constraints, as global port productivity ground to a halt. Many goods that finally made it to shore were forced into temporary warehouses as the retail stores, to which they were destined, remained closed.

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