Local Small Business Owners Meet To Discuss Supply Chain Concerns

COPPELL, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Dozens of small business owners who are working with less, and paying more, met Friday trying to find a solution to continued supply shortages.

What they used to take for granted – order it, ship it, sell it—has turned into a more aggressive part of daily business, for small companies trying to stay in business.

"We're just telling them we'll do our best, it's five-week lead time, and we'll do our best to provide it," said Steve Farco.

His company, Mason-Dallas, can't get the valves and mounts used to quiet and control HVAC systems in buildings. That in turn slows construction projects.

He had plenty of company at the discussion Friday.

An apparel company can't get black shirts.

A concrete company can't find enough truck drivers.

A recycling company can't find space on trains or ships to export materials.

A garden center is paying as much as $25 an hour to keep employees.

"It's not uncommon for an order to come in, and maybe 70 to 80-percent of that product is actually on the truck," said Greg Kalina, the general manager of Stone House Restaurant in Colleyville. "And we've learned to adjust."

He's stopped offering some menu items, rather than have to tell people "we don't have that."

With a multi-pronged problem, no one had just one solution to offer Rep. Beth Van Duyne (TX-24) who hosted the group. But several mentioned fewer government regulations, would be a start.

"You start thinking of  the layers upon layers of bureaucracy that we have, of regulation that we have, that's not productive, that doesn't help," Van Duyne said. "It makes things cost more and it makes it longer to actually have these projects completed."

Meanwhile business owners are trying to stay optimistic, this is not, the new normal.

"I do see an end in sight," Kalina said. "I do think we will see a day when the relationship and service industry start to matter."