As the supply chain has caused backlogs and gas prices continue to rise, businesses nationwide and locally have been faced with difficult encounters. Midwestern Pet Foods Plant Manager Mike Shied says their biggest challenge has been the trucking industry:
“The trucking industry in this day and age is absolutely one of our biggest challenges. Not only because of different prices of the backlog, it all started at the port. There is a backlog of trucking, truckers that can haul product to and from. Because of that, the prices have just escalated and guess what, if someone else gives you a better offer, you have a lot of people who are no shows. Take that another step to the supply chain is getting hit really hard back to the raw materials. Our suppliers that make bags cannot even get the raw materials to make the bags. There is a massive supply chain and delivery chain backlog. Has it affected us, absolutely, and is it going to continue, absolutely, we just don’t know how long, but we are working through it.”
Despite the challenges, Shied reports business is booming six days a week and they are currently hiring all positions on all three shifts.
**Written by WMOI/WRAM Director of Communications Kelsey Crain**
