WISCONSIN (NBC 26) — Over the last few months we’ve been hearing about the global supply chain challenges, particularly backed up at California’s shipping port.
Now, the supply chain is hitting another hurdle with warehouses. According to NBC News, warehouses nationwide are running out of space.
The amount of space available has hit a record low and shipping delays have added more stress.
NBC 26 wanted to know how this issue played out in Northeast Wisconsin.
WEL Companies, a De Pere based trucking company which also owns several warehouses says there is very little space available.
"We have warehouses in the Northeast, Southeast, couple in the Midwest and we have about a five percent vacancy in our warehouses," said Dalton Tielens, WEL Companies Vice President.
He says customers are buying at all time high as they try to build up inventory levels.
"That's also creating part of this. Is that more people are trying to put more in inventory to plan for a pandemic or bulk buying. Like we experienced toilet paper. So there’s more players in the warehousing game or people looking for warehousing space than traditionally we saw,” Tielens said.
And its not only about where to store the products. A shortage of labor and truckers is also adding to the problem.
"The second part is finding the drivers to deliver that product or deliver it out and also the workers to supply and support the operations at the warehouses. We can go buy a building but finding the workers and drivers to operate it is probably one of the biggest challenges anyone is having right now," Tielens said.
The Director of Driver Relations at WELS says the shortage of truck drivers has caused the ripple effect too.
"Although while you may be seeing a ship in a harbor somewhere. That comes full circle. And as a transportation and warehousing provider. There's product that has to be moved, it has to be stored by us in warehousing. Everything that moves in this country is moved in a truck in some sort of fashion," said Todd Svetlovics.
So as we head full force into the holiday season, what does this mean for our holiday shipping? Will we be getting our Christmas presents in time?
“Customers have been trying to plan for this since September since September for Thanksgiving and there’s no way they’re going to be able to meet the orders. So whatever you can get locally, at the store, around the shelves in front of you, I would highly recommend you buying it," Tielens said.
He also recommends buying local and buying American. Therefore you don't have to wait for your products to go through the shipping ports.
