WEBVTT

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>> WITH RESTAURANTS CLOSED AND
HOOSIERS STUCK INSIDE, THEY ARE
COOKING MORE AT HOME...AND
THAT'S HAVING A HUGE IMPACT ON

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THE STATE'S POULTRY MARKET.
INDIANA IS HOME TO SOME OF THE
LARGEST EGG PRODUCERS IN THE
UNITED STATES, INCLUDING MPS EGG

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FARMS, A FAMILY-OWNED OPERATION
IN NORTH MANCHESTER. THE COMPANY
SAW SALES JUMP 100-PERCENT
DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF THE

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PANDEMIC. MPS VICE PRESIDENT OF
BUSINESSES DEVELOPMENT SAM
KROUSE SAYS THAT ALTHOUGH THE
RUN ON EGGS HAS CALMED, SALES

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REMAIN UP 30% OVER LAST YEAR AND
THAT DEMAND IS TAXING THE
SYSTEM:
I WOULD DESCRIBE IT AS THE

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ENTIRE SUPPLY CHAIN IS PRETTY
STRESSED. EVERYTHING FROM
CARTONS AND MATERIALS, EGGS, OUR
PLANTS .EVERYTHING IS JUST

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WORKING TO THE MAXIMUM TO KEEP
THE SHELVES FULL.
MPS SUPPLIES 100-PERCENT OF ITS
EGGS TO RETAILERS, INCLUDING,

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KROGER CO.
A NORTHWEST INDIANA STEEL
MANUFACTURER AND A
WESTFIELD-BASED STEEL SUPPLIER

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HAVE ANNOUNCED LAYOFFS AS A
RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC.
ARCELORMITTAL USA SAID IT IS
PLACING 200 EMPLOYEES IN EAST

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CHICAGO ON TEMPORARY, UNPAID
FURLOUGH.
MEANTIME, WESTFIELD STEEL INC.
IS ALSO REDUCING ITS WORKFORCE.

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THE STEEL INDUSTRY SUPPLIER SAYS
IT IS TEMPORARILY LAYING OFF 40
WORKERS AT OPERATIONS IN
WESTFIELD AND TERRE HAUTE.

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WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING THE NEW
NORMAL AND PEOPLE STUCK INSIDE
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO ...
THE PUZZLE INDUSTRY HAS SEEN A

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HUGE UPTICK IN SALES.
ROUND INDIANA REPORTER
MARY-RACHEL REDMAN HAS MORE FROM
ONE OF THE LARGEST PUZZLE

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MANUFACTURERS IN THE COUNTRY
RIGHT HERE IN INDIANA.
>> WITH NON-ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES
SHUTTING DOWN ACROSS THE STATE,

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NO EXCEPTION, WITH THE SURGE OF
PEOPLE STAYING HOME, PUZZLES
HAVE BECOME A HOT TICKET ITEM,
WHICH PRESENTED A UNIQUE

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OPPORTUNITY.
>> WHEN THE GOVERNOR OF INDIANA
DECIDED THAT IT WAS TIME FOR
BUSINESSES IN INDIANA TO CLOSE

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ON MARCH 24th, WE IMMEDIATELY
CLOSED OUR FACILITY, WE
IMMEDIATELY ALL WANTED TO JUST
GET HOME TO OUR FAMILIES. AS

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TIME WENT ON, WE WERE GETTING A
HUGE DEMAND FOR OUR
MANUFACTURING OF GAMES AND
PUZZLES. IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR

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THE MARKET TO RUN OUT. AS A
RESULT, WE GOT OUR STAFF
TOGETHER AND STARTED TALKING
THROUGH SOME OF THE ISSUES. I

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PROPOSED A LETTER TO THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, AND I ASKED
FOR PERMISSION TO OPEN UP UNDER
CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS AND CERTAIN

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CIRCUMSTANCES. I WAS GRANTED
PERMISSION.
>> SINCE OPENING BACK UP FOR
BUSINESS, DEMAND FOR PUZZLES

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SKYROCKETED WITH CUSTOMER DEMAND
UP 50% IN THE LAST YOU WEEKS.
AND IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE
SLOWING DOWN ANY TIME SOON. IN

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FACT, HE SAYS HE'S LOOKING TO
HIRE ANOTHER 60-PLUS PEOPLE TO
HELP WITH THE WORK LOAD.
>> DURING THIS TIME OF THE YEAR,

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WE WOULD HAVE 130 TO 140 PEOPLE
WORKING, WE'RE AVERAGING RIGHT
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 60 TO 70
ACROSS TWO SHIFTS. WE EMPLOY

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LOCALS. 90% OF THE PEOPLE THAT
WORK IN THIS FACILITY DRIVE LESS
THAN 25 MILES TO GET TO WORK.
WE'RE AVERAGING RIGHT IN THE

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NEIGHBORHOOD OF 60 TO 70 ACROSS
TWO SHIFTS. SO I HAVE A NEED FOR
ANOTHER 60 PEOPLE. IF EVERY ONE
OF MY EMPLOYEES DECIDED TOMORROW

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THAT THEY WERE GOING TO COME
BACK, WITH THE DEMAND OF THE
PUZZLE RIGHT NOW, I COULD USE
ANOTHER 50 PEOPLE.

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>> DURING THIS TIME OF
UNCERTAINTY, HE SAID PROVIDING
FAMILIES WITH A FUN DISTRACTION
IS WHAT GIVES HE AND HIS TEAM

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THE MOST SATISFACTION.
>> IT'S WONDERFUL. I MEAN, WE
ABSOLUTELY LOVE WHAT WE DO. AND
WE LOVE WHAT WE DO BECAUSE OF

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WHO WE'RE IMPACTING. AND WHEN
PEOPLE ARE WORKING OUR PUZZLES,
AND WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE THE
ONES, AND WE GO TO THE WEBSITES,

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AND WE SEE THE GREAT FEEDBACK
THAT WE GET FROM THE PUZZLERS
OUT THERE, IT JUST DRIVES YOU.