AppleApple chief executive Tim Cook has announced plans for the company to design and make a million face shields a week for medical professionals, in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus.
The face shields, unlike most Apple products, cannot be bought. They’re being donated to those who need them – but a tutorial has popped up on the tech giant’s website, complete with graphics and animations.
Apple also advises users on how they should use the shields, specifying they should “avoid exposure to high heat” and “handle gently to prevent drops and scratches”.
The company also details the best sanitising methods. According to Apple, the equipment is compatible to be cleaned with: 70% ethanol, 70% isopropyl alcohol, 6% bleach and 3% hydrogen peroxide.
“We have launched a company-wide effort, bringing together product designers, engineering, operations packaging teams and our suppliers to design, produce and ship face shields for health workers,” Mr Cook said in a video message announcing the initiative.
Avery Dennison
“As we navigate the challenges of Covid-19, I want to reinforce our ongoing actions to ensure the health and safety of our employees, and our commitment to our customers even in times of turbulence,” said Jeroen Diderich, Avery Dennison’s Vice-President and General Manager, Label and Graphic Materials, North America.
“We are grateful and proud of the dedication of our employees and our customers who make our brand stand tall every day. We are continuing to lead by our values of courage, teamwork and integrity to ensure the safety of our teams, while maintaining quality during this time of uncertainty.
“Our customer service, sales representatives and application consultants are fully functional while working from home. We ask for your patience as we deal with unusually high demand right now. We will be focusing our efforts on fulfilling orders for essential consumer products like food, beverage, healthcare and pharmaceutical as those items are critical for the public.
“In sites that are remaining open, we have implemented a temporary hourly pay premium. At sites that are open, proper handwashing and hygiene are mandated and thermometers are provided. Employees are also practicing social distancing.
‘We know we have a commitment to you and to ourselves. We will not let you down. I look forward to getting out to meet many of you as this situation passes and things get back to normal.”
AV Flexologic
“It is our role and responsibility during this challenging time to prioritise two things: the health and wellbeing of our employees, customers, and partners, and continuing to offer service on our products in the field,” said Martijn Otten, Managing Director of AV Flexologic.
“We are part of the food/packaging industry, which is expected to be one of the few sectors that will remain fully active during these difficult times. This means we need to do our best to make sure the end customers are able to receive their products.
“We continue supporting our customers in the best way possible by providing video and remote assistance, live or on-demand, through specific online platforms. We have our parts warehouses in strategic locations all around the world and our technicians make sure our customers are supported quickly and efficiently.
‘When it comes to installations, if we cannot be on-site due to the travel restrictions, we will guide you through setting up the machine remotely. Also, training will be provided using online tools and videos.
‘We can provide travel histories for any of our team members, sales and support, and confirmation that they do not display symptoms of the virus before they enter your facility to perform service or support. Be assured we will do everything we can to ensure you receive the same level of service and support from AV Flexologic during this time.”
BST Eltromat
“We currently live in extraordinary times due to the coronavirus, in which the safety of every human life has the highest priority. Our goal is to continue to operate and provide you with the personal service you are accustomed to. The health of you and our employees is paramount and we try to carry out all our actions in accordance with community solidarity and the legal requirements of our government,” the company said in a statement.
“We will continue to be available by phone and email to answer your questions and requests, and due to our internationally distributed production and assembly, we can ensure that we can supply you without any restrictions.
“Finally, we would like to wish you all from the bottom of our hearts that you and your families stay healthy and get through these difficult times well, which will be followed by good times again.”
Bobst Group
Given the acceleration of the coronavirus situation, recent decisions of local authorities, and to support customers and employees, Bobst Group has taken additional measures. The decision is to focus on what matters most: respect of the safety recommendations in all countries, global employees’ health, and business continuity for all customer support.
Consequently, Bobst Group will put some factories at their lowest machine production level to focus on parts and services without compromising the employee security. Bobst Lyon in France moved to minimum production levels on March 19, while Bobst Mex and Bobst Grenchen in Switzerland followed suit the next day. Bobst India closed until further notice, whole China is recovering and expected to be back to normal within coming weeks.
“We continue to closely monitor our technical service centres country by country to ensure the business continuity to the highest level possible,” the company said in a statement.
“We assess daily the evolution of the situation in all countries, and for all Bobst sites, and take the necessary measures.”
Borealis
As a responsible company, Borealis is taking all steps within its power to help stop the spread of Covid-19 and to protect employees and business partners.
Polyolefins supplied by Borealis are essential raw materials used in the healthcare, hygiene, and packaging industries. Its fertilisers and technical nitrogen products are vital components of the food and medical supply chains.
As of now, Borealis’s European production locations and warehouses are maintaining operations and working closely with customers, suppliers and value chain partners to manage supply chain risks. A series of mitigating actions have been implemented to reduce the risk of potential supply chain disruptions.
“We would like to thank all our employees and partners, whether working on site or remotely from home, for their efforts to ensure safe operations and business continuity during the Covid-19 pandemic,” the company said in a statement. “These are truly unprecedented circumstances and we appreciate your dedication. We will continue to provide regular updates and information by way of our established channels.”
Dow
Dow has committed $3m to help fund Covid-19 relief efforts, with donations going towards global relief organisations, as well as non-profits in communities in which Dow operates.
Dow has also begun producing hand sanitiser at its site in Stade, Germany, and is repurposing an existing facility to produce hand sanitiser in the US. Total relief efforts include $2m for immediate support of impacts caused by Covid-19; a donation to the Covid-19 Solidarity Fund; a donation to Direct Relief to distribute medical supplies; support for local and regional non-profit organisations in Dow communities; and $1 million to build community resilience.
These donations will help distribute essential supplies such as personal protective equipment to frontline health workers, and protect the
health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergency situations.
Dow CEO Jim Fitterling said: “Safety is our top priority at Dow. With the unprecedented impacts of Covid-19 impacting our world, we are committed to helping protect the health and safety of our employees and communities, while deploying our business solutions where they are needed most. We appreciate this crisis places extreme stress on non-profits, social services, small business and healthcare sectors, and we are working to provide fast, flexible funding, as well as adjusting our manufacturing processes where we are able to help address those needs.”
Durst Group
‘We took the issue very seriously from the very beginning, and we continue to do so,” said Christoph Gamper, CEO of Durst Group.
“We help wherever we can, for example, with masks and protective suits for the hospital in Brixen, which, like many institutions, is currently struggling with a lack of resources.
“All our branches are active, with the restrictions that apply in the respective countries. A networked trunk team also works for the headquarters, from home wherever possible. The highest security measures are in place for
employees who have to stay at the company.
The branches have stocked spare parts as a precautionary measure, and ink logistics are maintained. A service team can be reached remotely in case of emergencies.
“We will monitor the situation and work out scenarios and then hopefully, taking into account the legal status and only if we can ensure the safety of the employees and their families, restart production.
‘These are challenging times. We are sure that you, our customers and partners, will show solidarity with our employees and us. We are confident that we are doing the right thing and that we will come out of this situation stronger. Please take care of yourself and stay safe and healthy.”
Ecolean
Global packaging producer Ecolean and its customers in the Chinese dairy sector are donating products to hospitals and other institutions in communities affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
Challenges include limited production and importing capacities, a result of quarantines and travel restrictions in central China. Chinese manufacturing and trade industries, as well as the complete dairy supply chain, have been affected since the restrictions started.
“Ecolean is one of the few producers in the TEDA area in Tianjin allowed to operate its production plant for packaging material,” said Johnny Sajland, Global Sales Director of the Ecolean Group.
“As a result, we are fortunate enough to be able to secure a steady supply to our customers, so they can keep up production volumes.
“Together with several dairy brands that are some of our largest customers in China, we are now donating products such as chilled yoghurt and pure milk to different institutions, such as hospitals in affected communities.
“This is our way of caring for and contributing to the societies in which we operate. It has been natural for us to offer our support to our customers, and we will continue to do so during the market’s recovery”.
Edale
“Currently, all functions at our UK headquarters remain operational,” said James Boughton, Managing Director of Edale. “We’re working hard with our team and have put in place policies and contingencies to keep everything running safely and responsibly.
“Rather than face-to-face meetings, we are using online conferencing services. Visitors will be restricted at this time, but we have online
solutions in place.
“Our customer support teams remain operational and, while site visits will be constrained, we continue to supply parts and remote service. To ensure continued service, we have implemented where practical the facility for employees to work from home, and for those in the factory, we have split all core teams in two, and they now operate from two separate and segregated locations. We have increased social distancing and have implemented significant measures to increase hygiene and cleanliness.
‘I do not shy away from saying that this is going to be a challenging time, but I believe we are taking all necessary and responsible steps to ensure business continuity for the benefit of our employees and customers.”
Flexo Concepts
“The safety of our employees and our community is our number one priority,” the company said in a statement.
“Flexo Concepts has taken measures that adhere to CDC and WHO guidelines in order to do our part in stopping the spread of the virus and to protect employees, families, customers and vendors alike.”
The company is following the guidelines set by the CDC and WHO – offering employees paid sick leave until further notice; moving almost all office staff to remote working; suspending all international and non-essential travel; barring outside visitors; splitting shifts in manufacturing to create safety through increased separation; and encouraging best hygiene practices including frequent sanitising of workspaces.
“While we’re aware of our role in the manufacturing chain that keeps other industries operating, we want to be mindful of the challenges facing our employees and their families,” said Kevin McLaughlin, CEO of Flexo Concepts. “All employees are being offered paid sick leave until further notice and encouraged to take time off as they need it to take care of themselves and loved ones.”
The company will continue these best practices as long as they are recommended. It will also continue to update and communicate its procedures and operational capabilities as the situation dictates.
“Whether it be a technical issue or a community related problem, please do not hesitate to reach out to us here at Flexo Concepts if we can help in any way during these difficult times,” Mr McLaughlin said.
Flint Group
“In line with our core values, our priority is to ensure that our workers have the ability to operate effectively and safely during this period of uncertainty,” said Steve Dryden, COO Flint Group Packaging and CEO Flint CPS.
“Therefore, we have implemented pre-entry temperature screening at our major manufacturing sites; on-site hygienic work norms such as regular hand washing, use of alcohol-based hand sanitiser, health checks, increased cleaning and disinfecting measures and social distance rules; remote work whenever possible; most meetings have been replaced with conference calls or video conferences; and all but essential travel has been cancelled.
“Flint Group has also taken actions with respect to external parties by cancelling large scale events; allowing only essential visitors and external parties on sites; and introducing specific safety protocols for truck/goods deliveries.
“All our teams remain accessible to our customers and we have taken measures to maintain business continuity.
“We are not experiencing any direct impacts on our material supply. The current situation is, however, both complex and dynamic and we remain in frequent communication with our direct suppliers to ensure delivery of materials as planned.
“Our global procurement team is reviewing material status daily for every region of the world and we have a weekly coronavirus global task force meeting. We will continue to work with urgent focus to gain more clarity as this situation develops.”
GEW
“The wellbeing of our customers, suppliers and staff is paramount to GEW”, said Malcolm Rae, Managing Director of GEW. “We are updating our response daily and adhering to government advice in each country in which we operate.
“Significant and increasingly restrictive social distancing measures are being enforced at all GEW sites. However, GEW recognise many of our customers serve essential national supply chains. Wherever possible, and within government guidelines locally, GEW will strive to maintain full customer support. Our sales and service teams are active in the UK, USA and Germany and are further supported by our global distribution network.
“We hold several months of stock on all critical items. Our significant investment in local supply in readiness for Brexit has further strengthened our supply position. Components which originate from heavily affected areas are on long lead times and are therefore held in significant quantity.
“While the international delivery of certain orders is inevitably proving more difficult than usual, we are very confident of being able to maintain production, without shortage, for several months ahead.”
GMG Color
The company will assist with proofing requirements for those who can’t access large format printers in their premises, on a pay-per-proof basis. GMG will endeavour to ship within one working day of receiving files.
The proofing option from GMG Color combines its ColorProof software with an Epson large format printer, and GMG ProofMedia. GMG’s remote proofing service can be provided on a variety of media, including GMG ProofMedia OBA and non-OBA in matte, semi-matte, gloss and Newsproof substrates. Also available for FOGRA39 proofing is the Epson ClearProof film and metallic foil.
“We understand that everyone is experiencing significant disruption in these challenging times, and as such would like to support our valued customers and the industry as a whole in ensuring business continues where possible,”said Karl Gessner, managing director of GMG. “We are also able to facilitate remote proofing using GMG systems in European countries including Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands, and would be happy to make introductions.”
Hamillroad Software
“To mitigate risk from the Covid-19 pandemic, all of our employees are working from home and our ability to respond to your support and licensing requests is unchanged,” the company said in a statement. “We want to assure you that we remain available to support you in the usual way, with our best wishes for your continued health and safety.”
Heidelberg
“As the leading global supplier to the printing industry, we are often faced with challenges that require us to implement contingency plans to sustain our operations and minimize customer impact. The current Covid-19 situation is no different,” the compamy said in a statement. “As of today, we are operating under a ‘business as usual’ standpoint with no impact to the US supply chain in regard to consumables and parts deliveries or to our manufacturing facilities in Germany.
“Heidelberg is closely monitoring the situation as it changes minute-by-minute and is in touch with all our carriers and vendors and will alert
its customers if it will foresee any changes or disruptions.
‘With the largest service network in the industry, we have the flexibility to make necessary adjustments to continue providing industry-leading service for our customers. We also need to ensure the health and safety of our employees, so we will continue to follow the guidelines and recommendations of the CDC. We are having weekly internal meetings to safeguard our employees and customers and to develop plans for various scenarios to lessen any business impacts.”
Henkel
Henkel has announced a comprehensive global solidarity programme to support employees, customers and communities facing the global Covid-19 pandemic.
The programme includes €2 million of donations to the WHO/UN Foundation fund, among others, to help provide protective equipment for health workers, diagnostic laboratories, data collection and analysis experts, intensive care units, and to support employees who are out of work.
Henkel will also donate five million units of personal and household hygiene products globally, including hand sanitisers, soap and protective equipment, as well as detergents, disinfectants and other cleaning products. In addition, Henkel plans to produce disinfectants in selected production sites.
Since the pandemic began, Henkel has addressed the situation through crisis management teams. The primary objective is to do everything possible to ensure the safety of employees, customers and business partners. CEO Carsten Knobel said: “At Henkel, we are committed to help addressing this unprecedented challenge. In line with our values, we want to make a contribution through a comprehensive global solidarity programme.
“I would also like to thank our global and local crisis teams which have been active since coronavirus began to spread. For our employees who continue to work on-site to maintain our operations, we have taken extra measures to reduce infection risks.”
Huhtamaki
Huhtamaki has announced a donation of €500,000 to support the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC) Covid-19 appeal. The funds will be channelled via the Finnish Red Cross to go towards boosting emergency relief efforts in Asia and Europe and improving the lives of the world’s most vulnerable people.
“Huhtamaki plays an essential role in ensuring food safety and availability and reducing food waste, as acknowledged by governments internationally,” said Charles Héaulmé, President and CEO of Huhtamaki.
“This contribution is only one part of our support towards alleviating the impact of the pandemic globally. We have partnered with the International Red Cross to help tackle the humanitarian aspect of the crisis. This emergency affects us all, regardless of where we are around the world, and together we can make a difference where it is most needed.”
Huhtamaki has also asked management teams across its 81 locations globally to reach out and see where they can lend a hand to the local community. For example, Huhtamaki has started to produce face shields for healthcare workers together with a local partner in Belfast. The company is also donating products to healthcare systems, for example more than 6 million foodservice products to hospitals and nursing homes across Europe.
“If there is anything this outbreak has emphasised, it is how interconnected and dependent we are globally. Our initiative today underlines our commitment to protecting people, food and the planet,” Mr Héaulmé added.
Hybrid Software
“To protect the health and safety of customers, employees and partners, we will act responsibly and in compliance with all government guidelines to mitigate the spread of the virus,” said Guido Van der Schueren, chairman of Hybrid Software. “It will ensure business continuity by providing uninterrupted support and additional assistance and will continue the development of labels and packaging software without interruption.
“Most employees will be working from home. Please rest assured that Hybrid’s cloud-based infrastructure has always been designed to support our distributed global workforce, whether they are working remotely or from the office. Our response to support and licensing requests will be unchanged.
“Customer visits for installations and demonstrations will be more difficult with travel restrictions in place. We will contact all customers with scheduled appointments to reconfirm plans or make alternative arrangements.
“We understand that Covid-19 presents challenges to your business as it does to ours. If your employees are working from home and need additional temporary licenses for Packz or Cloudflow, we are happy to provide these at no cost.
“If we can do anything else to lessen the impact of Covid-19, please feel free to contact me at any time.”
Koenig & Bauer
Koenig & Bauer Flexotecnica has already been classified as system-relevant in Italy and is therefore permitted to remain fully operational, while the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture has explicitly listed “Enterprises producing packaging and packaging materials for products” as critical suppliers to the food industry throughout Europe.
The value of packaging is thus acknowledged. Board packaging, folding cartons, plastic films, bottles, cans and the necessary labelling ensure that food and pharmaceutical products reach the end user efficiently and in hygienic condition.
“Koenig & Bauer takes this responsibility very seriously and is fully aware that no interruption of these supply chains can be allowed,” said Claus Bolza-Schünemann, Koenig & Bauer CEO.
“Our production, which is located exclusively in Europe, is running. Our service staff are ready to provide assistance where needed, our spare parts warehouses in Europe, Asia and the USA are operating, and parts are being dispatched to customers all over the world every day.
“My great thanks go out to all employees, who are handling this unusual situation professionally and with their customary enthusiasm. That is what characterises Koenig & Bauer, and has done for more than 200 years.”
Mark Andy
“In this difficult and rapidly evolving time, we are all dealing with challenges that affect our home and our office, but Mark Andy’s commitment is the same now as it ever has been – to keep your business up and running to the absolute best of our ability,” said the company in a statement.
“We’re thankful that we can remain at full production, manufacturing Mark Andy presses right here in St Louis, Missouri, as well as Rotoflex equipment in Toronto. Mark Andy Print Products is also fortunate to have a US-based flexo, offset and digital supplies distribution facility in Des Plaines, Illinois, along with additional distribution locations throughout the United States, and our service teams are still available to meet your equipment service needs, while keeping our employees and your employees safe by taking extra precautions.”
Maxcess – RotoMetrics
“Maxcess is committed to providing a safe environment for our employees, their families and the communities in which we operate,” said Odd Joergenrud, CEO of Maxcess International Corporation.
“At the same time, supporting our customers is a priority, and our global teams are hard at work to ensure we can do that throughout this situation while acting to mitigate further spread.
“Many of our customers are essential businesses or support critical and essential industries. Maxcess is committed to doing our utmost to serving all of you throughout this crisis.
“Over the past several weeks, we have implemented business travel restrictions, removed non-operations personnel from each location, implemented extra disinfection services, established social distancing guidelines for those employees who remain on-site, and developed protocols to support the health of employees. Many of our employees who can perform their jobs from home and do not have to be in our offices are now doing so.
“We realize this situation remains very dynamic. As additional business closure or shelter-in-place restrictions are implemented, we will review all provisions closely to confirm that we are able to continue supporting your business.”
Mondi
As a global leader in packaging and paper, Mondi’s Personal Care Components team has found a way to convert a production line at its Gronau plant in Germany to manufacture soft elastic straps that are now being used for facemasks worn by medical professionals and consumers globally.
The Gronau plant typically focuses on making materials used in hygiene products such baby diapers, adult incontinence pads and feminine care items. However, the plant was able to quickly adapt one of its manufacturing lines to produce a three-layer, laminated strap that binds a stretchable plastic film between layers of soft, non-woven material. The straps, which Mondi supplies to its mask-making customers on a reel, are then cut and attached to each side of a mask, which can loop comfortably over the user’s ears to hold the mask in place.
Mondi Gronau is working to provide straps that will fit more than a billion non-woven face masks. As there is increasing demand for such types of facemasks, the company is building capability to meet this demand.
MPS Systems
“Rest assured that MPS and our partners are here to support you in any way we can,” said Atze Bosma, CEO of MPS. “We understand many of you are still running high production levels, since customer and product demand remains high.
“MPS continues to operate at full production with 24-hour service to support all business demands. In any event affecting productivity of your MPS presses, we can connect remotely to ensure your production uptime is secured. Spare parts and helpdesks are available at a global scale.
“We will continue sharing our knowledge and offer solutions that help you maintain and even improve your business through online training programmes and remote service. These challenging times require flexibility and creativity. We, and our partners, are here when you need us.”
Mühlbauer Group
“The global spread of coronavirus presents us all with unprecedented challenges,” the company said in a statement. “In these extraordinary and unpredictable times, the Mühlbauer Group’s main priority is it to support its customers around the world while protecting all our employees, partners, clients and associates.
“The impact of coronavirus to businesses and to communities is still unpredictable. Always keeping in mind the health of our employees, customers and business partners, we make every effort to maintain our business operations and, most importantly, those of our customers.
‘All our international plants and offices are operational; Mühlbauer’s high degree of vertical integration enables us to support you with our fullest commitment. Our teams all around the world do everything possible to support our partners and clients in these challenging times.
‘We closely monitor the situation on a day-to-day basis and adapt our operations accordingly. We are convinced that as reliable and supportive partners we will master this challenging time together. We will constantly be available for you, via phone calls, video conferencing and emails. Please do not hesitate to address any needs and concerns you may have.”
Nilpeter
All Nilpeter facilities around the world are still operating with ongoing production, observing local government and health services guidelines. Spare parts handling is fully active in normal opening hours, and customer care is performing 24/7 remote support and troubleshooting from all global call centres. Requests to visit the company’s Technology Centres in Denmark, USA, Thailand, Brazil and India are welcomed and will be handled in compliance with local travel regulations.
OKI Data Corporation
“We have taken actions across our business to protect our employees, customers and business partners,” the company said in a statement. “While these actions create challenges in our day-to-day business, our team in Southeast Asia is committed to delivering products, services and customer
support to the best of our ability.
“We are working towards increasing production and prioritising the delivery of shipments. We may still face some difficulties with regards to local transportation, logistics and cooperating suppliers, nevertheless based on our assessment of the current situation, and barring any country or place that has ordered restricted movement or freshly imposes new or additional rules related to the virus situation, generally we do not expect much impact on our customers.
“Where if it is enforced by local laws, or where our own operations would not be affected, some employees will be required to work remotely from home. Where it is practicable, the physical distance between our employees’ workstations in the office has been increased. Employees have also been reminded to practice social responsibility by observing good personal hygiene, monitoring their own health conditions and to seek medical advice if they are feeling unwell. The safety and security of our employees, customers, and business partners is a top priority.”
Omet
Omet’s production and customer service departments continue to work regularly, with precautions. All office personnel have been enabled for smart working, while machine demos are conducted live or on-demand through specific online platforms.
‘We are very impressed with all the support and messages of concern we have received from our customers, partners and associates from all over the world, and we thank you for your thoughts and best wishes,’ the company said in a statement. ‘We answer with the same wishes, hoping that this global emergency can be overcome in a short time. Please be understanding and take care.’
PepsiCo
PepsiCo Inc and The PepsiCo Foundation have announced a $45 million initiative to help communities most affected by coronavirus. The company is funding support including protective gear for healthcare workers, testing and screening services, and is already in the process of distributing more than 50 million nutritious meals to at-risk populations. PepsiCo is leveraging its own distribution expertise and investing heavily in partnerships to increase access to nutrition in response to school closures that have left 1.71 billion students out of school and many deprived of a key source of
nutrition.
“This unprecedented crisis requires all hands on deck, and companies have a big role to play in directing critical resources to the most vulnerable,” said Ramon Laguarta, Chairman & CEO PepsiCo. “Food is at the heart of what PepsiCo does, and we believe the best way we can support communities during this difficult time is by leveraging our expertise and capabilities, along with help from our partners, to bring food to our neighbours who need it most.”
$15.8 million will be distributed in North America, $7.7 million will go to Europe, $6.5 million will be spent in Latin America, $7.2 million has been apportioned to Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, $3.3 million will be distributed in Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, and China. The remainder of the fund will be used to meet hyper-local needs.
Prati
“We wish to reassure our partners and customers worldwide that all the necessary measures have been taken to safeguard the health of our office employees and the men and women working in production,” the company said in a statement. “To start with, we promptly re-organised production shifts and enabled office staff to work remotely.
“Acting with efficiency, we are confidently responding to the new scenario and maintaining production, shipping spare parts, providing remote technical assistance and installation services.
“We are fully open and operative for business and available via all the online channels as usual, so please feel free to contact us and we will respond to all your needs.”
Reckitt Benckiser
Reckitt Benckiser (RB), the makers of Dettol and Lysol, the global leading antibacterial and disinfectant brands, is working with relevant healthcare authorities and NGOs in China to provide essential disinfectant products and funds to combat the outbreak of coronavirus.
In the early stages of the outbreak, RB immediately coordinated 600,000 yuan ($85,000) worth of soap and sanitiser products to help meet the cleaning and disinfection requirements in Wuhan’s hospitals.
In response to the latest needs of the epidemic prevention, RB is now in contact with local healthcare authorities to upgrade its support. An additional 20 million yuan ($2.8m) worth of disinfectant supplies has been arranged to help to minimise the further spread of the virus. A further 30m yuan ($4.2m) in cash will be donated to support frontline health workers in the promoting of hand-washing as an effective method to break the chain of infection.
Ritrama
“Fedrigoni Group is committed to ensuring continuity of service and protecting the supply chain of essential necessities. From the beginning of the emergency, Arconvert and Ritrama have been operating fully, without interruptions, to serve the food and pharmaceutical industries and the health sector, while working tirelessly to protect the health and safety of our people,”the company stated.
The Fedrigoni Group has been ensuring the strictest level of compliance with all governmental guidelines and has introduced some extra measures to further improve the safety of all its employees: use of remote working, video conferencing instead of face-to-face all meetings, safety distances between colleagues in all workspaces and common areas, infrared temperature-testing to all staff at the entrance of factories and offices, restrictions for visitors and external suppliers. Additionally, sanitisation of all environments have been intensified.
Arconvert and Ritrama mainly produce self-adhesive materials for the labeling industry serving large-scale distribution to food, pharmaceutical and logistics sectors, among others. As such the Arconvert-Ritrama products are a vital component in supporting the supply chain of critical items such as drugs and hospital devices, IV and plasma bags, as well as test tubes and products for the sanitation of environments.
Rotocontrol
“During the coronavirus situation, our primary concern is the wellbeing of our employees and customers, in adherence with government and WHO guidelines,” the company said in a statement. “We are maintaining full production and have implemented home offices for employees where possible. Until we can resume face-to-face customer meetings, we are available to meet with you over Skype, WhatsApp and all other media, and provide virtual demonstrations of our finishing machines.”
Starbucks
Starbucks has announced it is temporarily stopping the use of reusable personal cups and “for here” ware in their stores to prevent the spread of germs amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Customers will be served in single-use cups, although the company will continue to honour the 10% discount for anyone who brings in their personal cup or asks for “for here” ware.
Starbucks spokesperson told the Brussels Times that the company was pausing the use of personal cups or tumblers in its stores across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, the United States and Canada.
Siegwerk
Siegwerk, one of the leading global providers of printing inks for packaging applications and labels, has moved rapidly to establish a central
crisis management team in response to the pandemic.
Given the role ink manufacturers play as a critical infrastructure industry in the food, beverage, hygiene and pharmaceutical value chain, Siegwerk is committed to the continued supply of its products and services. The company continues to follow guidance from national and international health authorities with respect to preventing the spread of the virus.
“The Siegwerk teams, across the Latin America region, have successfully executed the global production of pandemic guidelines where preventative measures are developed and implemented, with the goal of avoiding interruptions in supply and to ensure business continuity,” said Ralf Hildenbrand, President, Americas Region.
“The segregation of shifts has occurred at all of our sites, with these measures resulting in a predictable loss of efficiency.”
Raw materials continue to be sourced by Siegwerk’s procurement and planning teams. Nevertheless, the industry is facing raw material cost increases due to the overwhelming demand for products, supply shortages due to lockdowns in many countries and unexpected logistic constraints. Additionally, there are risks for supplier force majeure interruptions. Siegwerk is also challenged with rising logistics costs from issues such as harbor delays and the need for more air freight shipments to avoid supply disruptions. This is coupled with the substantial, steady and sometimes sharp depreciation in local currencies across Latin America.
Sistrade
Covid-19 has affected the entire industry and while the majority of digital and commercial print companies are under enormous strain of the unknown, flexo and packaging companies are experiencing an increase in new orders that require a rapid response.
Flexo and packaging companies are also faced with raw material shortages, especially for solvents used in disinfectants, and huge restrictions and costs in terms of logistics.
With the help of the Sistrade MIS|ERP system, the strategy for future work can be developed now, by making sure office work can be done remotely, that clients can reach the company online, by increasing the monitoring of the shop floor and warehouse, and reducing the physical contact on the shop floor by the means of equipment and digital job orders.
Sun Chemical
“While some regions in the world continue to improve, other regions are facing unprecedented challenges,” said Jeffrey Shaw, chief supply chain officer. “We continue to monitor our global supply chain, proactively manage each of our sites and warehouses, and frequently communicate with our supply base.
“Our manufacturing and warehouse sites continue to operate, raw materials continue to flow, and logistics providers continue to ship materials in a timely manner. With new governmental regulations enforced and varying restrictions in place around the world, we continue to work with all our stakeholders to make sure the fulfillment process works in an undisrupted manner.
‘We have a vast global network in place to manage these changes and an integrated supply chain approach. Inventory levels remain in place while we continue to fulfill customer orders. In the event of further changes, we will work with customers to make sure we provide the best level of service.”
Technotrans
“Coronavirus affects us all and considerably restricts our daily activities, both regarding private and business matters,” the company said. “The health and welfare of our employees, customers and suppliers must be our main priority. We are therefore monitoring the situation very carefully and adapting our measures and activities to any statutory regulations or guidelines.
“Technotrans has adopted a wide range of precautionary measures to minimise the impact on business operations and protect all employees and business partners. These include extensive hygiene measures, greater use of home offices, the conditional introduction of two-shift operation and extensive restrictions on travel. Despite a reduced presence, this has so far enabled us to ensure the operational capability of all locations.
“We make every effort to continue to process orders quickly and accurately and to organise the supply chain efficiently. Should the situation change, we will inform you promptly.
‘In the meantime, normality is returning to our Chinese production after the great wave of infection. This shows us that the measures ordered by the German government to reduce social contacts are effective and that, with disciplined behavior, we can put this crisis behind us as quickly as possible.”
Tetra Pak
To support the global response to the pandemic, the Tetra Laval Group will donate €10 million to various voluntary organisations supporting the healthcare systems in the countries it operates in.
While maintaining important measures to ensure the health and safety of its employees, the Tetra Laval Group – comprising Tetra Pak, Sidel and DeLaval – is fully committed to playing its part in ensuring uninterrupted food supplies
during these difficult times.
The groups said in a statement: “We are grateful for the unwavering contribution of our employees to address this extraordinary challenge, in striving to maintain the health and safety of individuals as well as the continuity of food supplies.”
Tesa
“As a long-standing business partner to many companies in the label and flexible packaging business, Tesa is naturally concerned about the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the entire industry,” the company said in a statement.
“Over 500 of our employees from product and technology development to marketing and sales support our customers under high pressure to complete time-sensitive projects on time. Still, in these difficult times, it is very important to us to work intensively and trustingly on new innovations together with our cooperation partners. After all, we all want to hit the ground running together after the crisis.
“We currently do not experience any bottlenecks in the production of special adhesive tapes for the label and packaging industry. All Tesa plants are operating and producing at their regular high standard. Deliveries are processed on time.”
UPM Raflatac
UPM Raflatac has not seen any disruptions to production or its supply chain in the Americas, but the company is taking the potential impacts very seriously. UPM Raflatac’s facilities around the Americas, including its factories in North Carolina and Illinois, are continuing to operate as normal.
According to the US Department of Homeland Security and other government agencies in the countries where the company operates, UPM Raflatac is considered a critical manufacturer because its products support critical industries, including pharmaceutical and healthcare, food and beverage, and logistics, among others. This allows UPM Raflatac to remain open and its operators to come to work despite any isolation orders in communities where it has manufacturing facilities.
“Although we have not had any known exposure, we have taken many steps to ensure the health and wellbeing of our employees, their families and the communities we serve,” the company stated. “These include increased cleanings of our facilities, a restriction on work travel, and requiring employees non-essential to production to work from home until further notice. If we need to temporarily close a facility, we have plans in place to ensure minimal downtime, and will coordinate with our global team and local authorities to resume production as soon and safely as possible.”
Vetaphone
‘While the evolving Covid-19 situation has presented new and unprecedented challenges, Vetaphone is well prepared and responds with the best interests of our employees and customers at heart,” the company said in a statement.
“We continuously monitor the development of the situation and follow the instructions and recommendations for the health authorities, both globally and locally.
“We have adopted new ways of working, but the Vetaphone team is, as always, committed to provide all our partners with the best possible service during this period. All our operations are up and running and we continue to support our customers with new projects, current orders and technical support, offering reliability and safety to everyone involved.”
Vinsak Group
“We are running, so you can relax,” the company said. “From local updates to global Covid-19 numbers, we are monitoring it all. We are also taking all the precautions and measures necessary to ensure the safety and good health of all our employees, customers, business partners and the community as a whole.
“Vinsak group assures you we are fully operational and are ready to serve and support you just like any other day. These are tough times, but we believe that this has only brought us all a step closer to each other and we are all in this together, but this shall pass too. Our team is equipped to work remotely and provide assistance and technical support via video call, telephonic, email
support and even physically if possible.
“Globally we are following the instructions laid down and also request everyone to support these efforts to overcome this critical situation soon.
“So far there has been no disruption in our sales or service and we shall keep our community updated of any changes.”
Wink
“Right now, our motto, ‘You cut, we care’, is especially true,” the company stated. “The wellbeing of our employees, customers and partners always is the priority. At the same time, we do everything to continue to supply you reliably, especially since our tools are also used to a large extent in the food, medical/hygiene and transport sectors.
“We already took extensive measures weeks ago and are currently implementing further steps in our multi-stage pandemic plan. These include the strict implementation of all recommended hygiene and disinfection measures, the separation of production areas from other departments, a contactless shift model and the increased use of remote working.
‘We are currently fully capable of production and delivery in all product areas, and our contacts are available at all times by telephone and online, even from the home offices. However, due to official restrictions and the general situation in the transport sector, there may be restrictions in individual regions with regard to our delivery performance.”
Xeikon
Xeikon reconfirms its dedication to continuing to make critical consumables available for its presses. This enables customers to produce the documentation, labels and packaging required to get food, health and pharmaceutical products to market during the Covid-19 crisis.
“Many of our customers, particularly converters, are producing essential print such as documentation, labels and packaging for critical items like pharmaceutical products, food for supermarkets, labels for disinfectant bottles, to name but a few, and rely on our solutions to ensure that essential supplies are made available to sick, vulnerable and isolated people,” said Benoit Chatelard, Xeikon’s president and CEO.
“Xeikon has sufficient stock and a stable supply in consumables and spares to support our customers globally. However, as many flights have been cancelled, we could expect some shipments to take longer to be delivered. We will keep our customers informed of the status of all shipments and requests for service, so they know exactly what to expect.
“While some cases may require on-site visits from a technician, there is a lot we can do with remote diagnostics and technical support. All our machines are connected and, to a large extent, self-diagnostic. For interactive discussions with customers and prospects, we are investing in tools that allow us to produce virtual demonstrations and testing for customers.”