With the recent supply chain issues that store owners and consumers alike have had to deal with, it's been a frustrating experience for everyone.  

Swift Current business owner Daryl Taylor, Owner/Operator of Superior Vacuum and Janitorial Supplies has been no exception to these issues. He has faced shortages, dissatisfied customers, and the frustration of none of this being something he can change. 

Taylors' products produced in Europe have struggled the most amongst the muddled supply chain.   

"The Italian manufacturers and the German manufacturers that my vendors source from don't seem to have any issues getting products produced," Taylors clarified. "It's a matter of getting it shipped."   

Other products are not as affected by the supply chain, especially Canadian-based goods. 

"Other products we sell, in particular the Central VAC systems that are made in Laval, Quebec, have never been in short supply," revealed Taylor. "I'm not sure why that is, but there seems to be an abundance of these items, I think mainly due to the fact that a lot of the components in these systems are sourced from the states, and maybe as well because they manufacture a lot of their own parts, which is good news for us." 

Taylor has also started selling vacuums made in China, which are also readily in stock with no shortages. Taylor isn't sure why his European models are being way-laid while the Asian-based units seem to have no trouble finding their way overseas. Another option he has presented to his buyers is a waiting list for orders. 

"A lot of times we've taken prepayments," Taylor explained. "Sometimes it speeds up the order, sometimes it doesn't. I know some customers who have prepaid we've had to refund so they've gone elsewhere while some are still patiently waiting. It's about a 50/50, so we're kind of optimistic about that."  

Taylor said that while the wait is a lengthy one, plenty of customers are willing to wait for a higher quality product that they know will last.   

Taylor doesn't know when these supply chain issues will cease their problematic interferences, but he has tried to gauge it with the wait times on his orders.   

"I've had portable vacuum cleaners on order from Germany since May of 2021," told Taylor. "I phoned today in fact, just to check and see the status of those orders and I'm given no ETA." 

While there isn't much folks can do right now, Taylor reminds people that they are all in this together. As a community, local businesses are all in the same boat.  

Taylor also pointed out how people can get around the supply issues by repairing old pre-existing equipment.