INDIANAPOLIS – Experts fear the new cases of omicron variant COVID-19 may cause further slowdowns in our supply chains, which could pose additional challenges for businesses in Indiana.
“Retailers are sold out,†said Leigh Ann Akard, owner of Akard True Value Hardware in Zionsville.
Akard said his store front is normally filled with Christmas decorations this time of year. But that’s not the case this season.
“We have over 700 items that are out of stock,†Akard said. “Some of them date back to the early days of COVID. “
The good news, Akard said, is that her store received items that she didn’t expect to receive.
Hoosier business owners are starting to see improvements, but still face slowdowns, according to Kevin Brinegar, president and CEO of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.
“It has an impact on Indiana because we are the most manufacturing state in the country,†said Brinegar.
It’s too early to say exactly how the omicron variant may impact supply chains and businesses in Indiana, said Brinegar, although an increase in the number of cases could block the chain’s recovery. ‘supply.
“This is going to potentially take people, truckers off the road and people from the loading dock,†Brinegar said.
Experts say it will likely take at least until the middle of next year for supply chain issues to be resolved.
Others are optimistic that omicron will have minimal impact – as long as we don’t see widespread shutdowns.
“We already have a lot of supply chain issues, so I don’t think it exacerbates or worsens the problem beyond that,†said Amrou Awaysheh, executive director of the Corporate Innovation and Sustainability Lab. Indiana University.
Meanwhile, business owners are trying to stay positive.
“We’ve been constantly adjusting our sales and trying to stay on top of trends, of what people are doing, of how we can be as nimble and responsive as possible,†Akard said.
Experts urge Hoosiers to do their holiday shopping as soon as possible due to supply chain issues.
