At LARSSON™, supporting our customers is a key priority, and our teams are working hard to avoid disruptions from the COVID-19 virus while at the same time acting responsibly to do what we can to prevent further spread.
LARSSON™ is committed to providing a safe environment for our employees and their families. We have asked our employees to work at home where possible to reduce transmission risks and to keep them safe. We want our employees to work from home comfortably and professionally, and we purchase additional equipment if needed.
At our Bromölla site we have taken additional precautions to protect our workforce. This includes increased cleaning and disinfection, restricted access for visitors, and the availability of personal protective equipment. Internal and external events have been either held virtually or postponed, and some have been cancelled. In our operations we have introduced split shifts to minimize transmission risks.
LARSSON™ has restricted all international travel to business-critical purposes only, with prior executive approval. This is to reduce transmission risks, protect our workforce and customers against unwanted exposure to the virus and to comply with a dynamic environment of government-imposed restrictions and quarantine.
Some of our employees must visit customer sites for installations, service and repairs, commissioning and start-up. Where possible, we are resolving customer issues remotely using virtual tools and technologies to minimize visits for our employees and our customers. Where a site visit is required, we have obtained additional personal protective equipment to equip our employees, and we require them to follow any additional protocols our customers have implemented.
Our executive staff are holding Skype meetings on a regular basis, to monitor activities. Since the very early stage we allocated resources to the LARSSON™ COVID-19 Risk Program that incorporates continuity plans for all our critical activities, risk assessments, crisis-management protocols, etc.
Our team is hard at work to minimize the risk of potential disruption with respect to direct material, component and part suppliers. LARSSON™ has a diversified procurement and manufacturing strategy. Our parts and components come from a diversified supply chain, and we regularly take advice from our strategic suppliers. With them we have proactively initiated plans to help guarantee the surety of supply. We continue to closely monitor and assess the evolving situation and will be diligent about communicating with customers regarding shipment timing or other potential issues resulting from this situation.
However, for LARSSON™ as an enterprise, the Covid-19 threat is much more on the demand side than in the supply chain. Many customers are affected by a reduced demand for their products and LARSSON™ will undoubtedly feel this in the occupancy rate of the workshop.
We were recently approached by several customers who requested to put on hold or slow down running orders. Especially projects from the Far East are affected, where besides the Corona virus the tapioca starch industry is also hit by the Cassava Mosaic Disease (CMD).
LARSSON’s management has acted promptly and decisively anticipating more project delays and possible order cancellations in the (near) future.
Occupancy, operating hours and opening hours at LARSSON will therefore be adequately adapted to this new business planning in the very short term. Constructive discussions have already been held with employees and appropriate measures have been taken by mutual consent. From week 17, until further notice, our forwarding and warehouse will only be open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
A strong foundation of more than 70 years in combination with an extremely strong business management makes it possible for Larsson to switch so quickly to a reduced occupancy in the workshop. Conversely, for those projects that will soon lead to an order, we can scale up again in no-time.
As CEO Jörgen Larsson explains: “I’m extremely proud of the commitment and flexibility of our LARSSON™ workforce. Loyalty and reliability remain the highest core values at LARSSON™ that the customer can count on, especially in times of crisis!
As always, your LARSSON contact person is ready to serve you. In case of urgent matters, do not hesitate to contact our service desk +46 (0) 456 486 60.
Yours Sincerely,
G. Larsson Starch Technology AB