Covid-19 has wreaked havoc on economies all over the world. In some industries, all production had come to an absolute halt as governments scrambled to deal with the situation.

Some industries were hit harder than others and are still struggling to get back on their feet.

“It’s been a difficult and frustrating season”, expresses Domenic Chiazzese, vice-president of operations at Pavages Nick. “Last year, while dealing with Covid-19 realities, we had to reduce our output and refuse many contracts. This was difficult but understandable. This year, we tried to operate business as usual, but we were unable to secure all the required inventory”.

Pavers and Interlocking Stones are made from Cement

Most pavers and interlocking stones are made from cement or concrete. They are not natural stones, but man-made individual units that give the appearance of natural stones when placed together. The cement and concrete industry have unfortunately taken a big hit during the shutdowns caused by the pandemic. But that’s not the entire problem. The demand on the raw material required for cement production is at an unprecedented level. This situation is due in part to Quebec’s government stimulus projects. In order to stimulate the economy, most governments are spending heavily in infrastructure projects. Quebec is no exception with a record high level of investment: $130.5 billion over the next 10 years.

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Many Negative Reviews

“My company has been hit hard financially, says Domenic Chiazzese, but we will survive this”. “However, the negative impact on our business will cause permanent damage to our reputation”. Pavages Nick, like other landscaping businesses, is receiving many negative reviews on the web, all with the same complaint: inability to respect the promised delivery date. “Customers don’t want to hear about my problems, understandably so. My problems are not theirs. I just wish the suppliers and manufactures would own up to the situation and help us deal with the impact on customers. Customers should be compensated for the delays of their projects”.