By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Supply chain issues are still making life difficult all across the local economy.
"We've had to have some work slowdowns or work stoppages or furloughs because of the severity of it," said Debra Teufel with the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce. "I think it's starting to subside a little bit, but it's even hitting our retail community."
Teufel said she went into one shop that was still putting out new inventory for the holidays because they just got it in. You can still see some of the supply chain issues as you drive down 30th.
"The automotive sector, you know, they're waiting on supply chain issues upstream that are impacting their new vehicle inventory. You just hate to see those lots be so sparse. They're telling us it's probably mid-2022 to late 2022 before that fully remedies itself. The chip problem is one thing. I know they're talking about building new chip factories in our country, but that's going to take awhile."
One local manufacturer is being impacted by those issues specifically.
Collins Bus, you know, we're waiting on some things," Teufel said. "That impacted their business. I think I'm going out to see Chris next week to kind of get an update on how things are going out there, but those supply chain issues abound."
Part of the problem is that the components for the chips that didn't go into vehicles went into other consumer and work-from-home devices like tablets and laptops and switching the foundries back to automotive work will require competitive bidding on the part of the companies that serve the automakers. In addition, there are many components that come from overseas that are still coming on shore and need to get into the domestic transportation system.