Out of flowers? Flour? Businesses contend with supply crises

NEW YORK — Supply shortages can be the bane of a small company’s existence.

Businesses must find solutions when factories close or manufacturers stop making the products they need. Often, it’s not easy — it took one pottery maker years to find new parts for his ceramic picture frames

For many owners, finding substitutes or a workaround is inevitable, especially if the business is subject to weather changes that stop deliveries of supplies or inventory.

But some small companies make money of shortages, finding and selling materials that are in short supply. At Widespread Electrical Sales, the business is all about finding circuit breakers that no one is making anymore.