Southwest Florida business owners discuss supply chain issues with Sen. Rick Scott

One Florida lawmaker says he understands you being upset and concerned with prices rising. Supply chain issues make it more challenging to get the things we need. So Southwest Florida business owners met with Senator Rick Scott and talked about their frustrations.

Sen. Scott promised business owners that he would do everything in his power to help them, including working with federal agencies to reduce regulations and work through issues with the department of transportation.

But, Sen. Scott also pointed an accusatory finger at President Biden.

Ships aren’t getting to ports fast enough, and trucks aren’t getting their products out on time. Ryan Carter is well aware of this. Carter is the president of trucking company Scotlyn USA, based in Lee County.

“In the past, it would take maybe a day or two days to get a truck fixed. It can take a week or up to 6 to 8 weeks to get our truck fixed,” Carter said. 

This is being dubbed the supply chain crisis. And, we see its effects in grocery stores, with the higher prices and fewer products on shelves.

Jennifer Whyte owns Fort Myers Brewing Company, and she says she’s seen these effects as she tries to continue running her business. “From everything from the small things like plastic cups to things that we use all the time like aluminum cans,” Whyte said. “An aluminum can has tripled essentially in cost.”

Whyte and Carter were part of a group of Southwest Florida business owners who gathered at the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday. They wanted to let Sen. Rick Scott know that the supply chain crisis is hurting them.

Trond Schou is the owner of Nordic High Performance. “Cost goes up on a daily basis. It’s incredible it’s totally out of control,” Schou said. “We sell a lot of products into Asia, so the cost of shipping between those different parts have gone up about 300%.”

Sen. Rick Scott listened to their concerns. But he also had something to say. “I think the big thing it’s really frustrating the Biden administration just doesn’t react, I mean. One thing you have to do as a government is you have to say, ‘here’s our problem, let’s go solve the problem,'” Sen. Scott said.

“They should get out to Long Beach and sit out there until they get those ships through,” said Sen. Scott.

The Port of Long Beach is the second busiest port in the United States, and often ships sit and wait there to be unloaded.

WINK News asked these business owners how optimistic they are about something being done. While a couple of these SWFL business owners say they have hope, many are not confident at all.