On the surface, 2021 appeared to be a strong bounce-back year for the biggest auto suppliers.
Of the 100 parts and material companies on this year's edition of the Automotive News top suppliers ranking, 84 reported year-over-year revenue gains from 2020, when pandemic-related work stoppages wreaked havoc on the industry.
The 10 suppliers that topped the list brought in a combined $321.5 billion in revenue for the year -- a 10 percent jump from 2020 and even a 2.2 percent increase from 2019.
But dig beyond those surface-level revenue numbers, and it becomes clear that suppliers are still bearing the brunt of increased material costs and supply chain shortages since at least last year, even as sales grew.