Where do the toilet paper tubes come from?

One of the things folks will remember years after the pandemic is behind us, was the toilet paper shortage. Paper product factories tried to ramp up production to meet demand but ran into an unexpected problem. There was a shortage of those cardboard tubes they roll the toilet paper onto. This is the real reason why it took them so long to restock store shelves.

Here at the Woodpile, we have one major factory. It produces cardboard tubes used in chipmunk and mouse burrow construction industry. They supply the entire U.S. critter market. The tubes are used as forms to poured the concrete around during tunnel construction. It turns out they are the perfect size for toilet paper rolls. The factory added additional shifts and manufacturing is going on 24 hours a day 7 days a week to meet demand. So, you have a bunch of chipmunks to thank for that roll of toilet paper.

I dropped by the warehouse to interview the shipping manager for the Woodpile Times. At 8am in the morning, Larry, the manager, is now on his fifth cup of coffee. He had just finished loading a semi-truck.

In between shipments to the toilet paper factory, Larry  is busy filling orders for tunnel construction projects. This order is being shipped to Area 43 in Rhode Island, a top secret chipmunk government research facility.

After a couple of minutes of frantic paw gesturing I finally got Larry’s attention. He had forgotten about the interview.

I had to quickly jump out of the way as more tubes were dropped by an overhead crane onto the warehouse floor. Shipments are bound together with rubber bands otherwise the tubes will roll all over the place.

Larry likes to inspect everything before it ships.

He discovers is some factory worker hid his snacks inside the tube.

Snacks are strictly prohibited on the factory floor.

The oil from the sunflower seeds has damaged the tube.

Which causes the whole bundle of tubes to topple over on poor Larry! What a disaster.

Oh no, Larry has been crushed.

Wait a moment, Larry says he fine. He had squeezed into one of the tubes at the last second.

Now, how do I stand this back upright?

Larry was thinking about taking a break and getting another cup of coffee when he spies the next truck rolling up the loading dock.