In the United States, we're celebrating Independence Day — a holiday that’s synonymous with summer. But we’re far from the only country with a rich tradition of warm weather celebrations: From bonfires in Sweden to lantern parades in Japan, summer traditions unite us. And of course, it’s our global supply chains that make them possible.
Starting with July 4th, it’s fireworks that reign supreme. Creating traditional pyrotechnics is a labor-intensive process: A delicate chemical mix is packed into components, including shells and fuses. Skilled technicians meticulously assemble each firework to ensure a visually stunning experience while prioritizing safety and quality control.
Interestingly, cities are increasingly using drone-based light shows to recreate the fun of fireworks but with less air and noise pollution, notes the Daily Wire, including Pasadena’s famous display at the Rose Bowl. Plus, the show is all preprogrammed by software engineers.
Across the pond, summer brings Walpurgis, or Valborg, to Sweden. Traditionally, the holiday marked the changing seasons and was designed to keep evil spirits at bay. Now, it’s more about celebrating as a community around a big bonfire. It's a symbolic farewell to the dark months and a fiery hello to the lighter days ahead.
Walpurgis celebrations include raft races, with modern PVC rafts, which are more sustainable than traditional plastic. “Made from rock salt (57%) and oil (43%), PVC contains less carbon than most major thermoplastics.” It can also be recycled up to 8 times. When manufacturing the rafts, the parts are joined with a specific PVC welding process, such as hot air welding, hot wedge welding or high-frequency welding — all completed using specialized machinery by fabric manufacturers.
Spinning the globe further, we come to the Nebuta Festival in Japan, when “giant floats dazzle with illuminated designs of peony flowers and angry-faced ogres,” per National Geographic. As with Sweden’s Walpurgis, the purpose of the Nebuta Festival is to chase away evil spirits; they simply use cleverly designed floats to do it.
Created by master artisans, the floats consist of wire, wooden plans, lightbulbs, washi paper and canvas. Awagami brand washi papers are made by hand and machine — and only in Japan. The fiber used in the pulp is harvested from the kozo plant, found in the Japanese mountains and harvested in winter.
Powering global summer traditions
Whether near or far, it’s supply chain professionals who make the magic happen. Be a part of this magic by joining us for CHAINge North America, September 9-10 in Columbus, Ohio. This immersive experience will deliver expert supply chain education — and some great celebrations to enjoy with your colleagues from around the world. First, find something delicious at Taste of Columbus, featuring top local restaurants. Then, don’t miss the After-Dark Carnival, alight with arcade games, classic rides and a DJ spinning tracks into the night. Early-bird pricing has been extended through July 10, so act now to join us for this illuminating experience!
