Vancouver’s United Grain strained by supply chain pressuresSubscriber Exclusive

By Will Campbell, Columbian Innovation Editor

Published: November 6, 2021, 6:02am

3 Photos

The pandemic has made things challenging for United Grain, which operates the largest grain export facility on the West Coast at the Port of Vancouver. Trains cost much more and are being delayed at a higher rate, causing managers to resort to trucks. Grain supply is running lower at times, customers are placing orders much further in advance, and the ships that carry the grain overseas are chronically delayed. (The Columbian files) Photo Gallery

The towering silos of United Grain are a halfway point for the flow of grain and beans that farmers up the Columbia River harvest and people in Asia consume.

The company, in its 52nd year, is still dealing with unique challenges caused by the pandemic.

“It’s been difficult this year,” said Brian Liedl, the company’s director of merchandising.