Shortages Caused By Supply Chain Struggles Felt In Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH, PA (KDKA) - From chicken to lumber to new cars, there are shortages across the board and we are feeling it here at home.

Issues with the supply chain are forcing prices to skyrocket and businesses to struggle.

It's hot in the kitchen at Juliano's Restaurant in Robinson.

"Our customers have been really supportive throughout. When we tell them we are short, they always go, 'what is it this week?' and we tell them and they always understand," said Nick Scalise, who owns the restaurant.

Shortages will come and go, with this week being chicken wings. Others it's plastic utensils or even pepperoni. So how is this lack of supply impacting you?

"They are expensive, a lot more expensive, and unfortunately we have to pass those costs on to the customers," Scalise said.

It's not just food. Lumber prices are skyrocketing, slowing down home building and remodels. New cars are almost impossible to find.

"Because of the pandemic, all of us have changed our consumption patterns. We aren't going out as much, we are not consuming the same things, we are spending more time at home," said Prakash Mirchandani, who's the director for the Center of Supply Chain Management at Pitt.

The demand for different things has gone up and the suppliers can't keep up. Then life events like a fire at a chicken plant or a COVID outbreak at a manufacturing plant cause a crash.

"Because there is a complex interaction in different networks, if any link fails, then the effect of that propagates throughout the system," Mirchandani said.

Some could be short-lived as more eggs are being produced and hatched, but the chips that go in cars could take a lot longer.

"For chips, semiconductors, it's going to be longer, about a year or year and a half," Mirchandani said.

Businesses are prepared and continue to roll with the punches.

"I still think for at least 5 or 6 more months, I can't predict which ones it will be, maybe cheese or pepperoni again," Scalise said.