Priority for the health of employees and customers
Measures for the current development of the Novel Coronavirus
Dear customers and partners,
The rapidly spreading novel coronavirus has caused a situation that is hard to assess. However, we can control how we react. For several weeks, we have been coordinating closely with internal and external sources on a daily basis to assess the current situation and the consequences for our employees, our customers, and our company. Based on this assessment, we have set forth the following guidelines:
Possible consequences on production and delivery times from the SSI SCHAEFER Group
Production continues at various locations. Due to the fast pace and changing developments, our production and/or our suppliers may be affected.
Our internal task force is in close contact with our global production teams and re-evaluates the situation based on the latest news to implement quick countermeasures. In case we incur changes within our supply chain, we will develop suitable measures to minimize the risk.
Due to strengthened prevention measures, including closed borders in different countries, deliveries to our factories or from our factories to customers may experience a delay. Our task force is always involved and tries to find a fast solution in close cooperation with respective internal departments and customers.
Increased digital customer consulting and project management for new or current orders
We continue to support our customers with inquires on current projects or consulting for new projects. Both consulting and project-supporting activities will be done primarily by phone or virtually using video conferencing to minimize the risk of infection. We already have in place a digital toolkit to plan customer systems in real time.
Customer Service & Support available 24/7 and remote maintenance
We want to assure you that, despite the current challenges, we as a service organization will always be available for our customers around the clock by phone, e-mail, and remote maintenance. Thanks to our predictive maintenance approach, which we have been promoting for years, many of our current systems are in perfect condition with proper technology in place. Furthermore, we can also apply remote maintenance systems.
If a personal visit is necessary, our employees will come to your site as long as permitted by official regulations.
Personal protection for our employees
In order to protect our employees globally, we have elaborated general guidelines that serve as a basis for the definition of local measures. Our global and local measures are in line with respective regulations issued by countries and their authorities.
Comprehensive action points for SSI SCHAEFER employees are extended home office regulations and alternative solutions for employees who cannot work from home as well as guidelines for individual solutions for employees with a shortage of childcare and regulations for people who return from risk areas. Personal protection of all employees at their workplace must be strictly enforced by observing hygiene rules and by reducing business trips and meetings to an absolute minimum.
Furthermore, our employees are urged to ensure that regulations issued by local government and health authorities are observed in every respect within their area of responsibility. In the course of these measures, all employees who belong to a risk group must be protected as well as possible.
We hope that with these comprehensive measures, SSI SCHAEFER will help slow down the infection rate of COVID-19 and give our healthcare system more time to act.
SSI SCHAEFER Group, 17 March 2020
Steffen Bersch Bruno Krauss
CEO SSI SCHAEFER Group CFO SSI SCHAEFER Group