MACNY and its visionary partners are pleased to announce all companies that participated in the first cohort of the “Keeping People Safe and Factories Running” program have completed their peer reviews and signed off on a manufacturer’s safety pledge. These companies will continue to meet on a weekly basis as New York continues to fully reopen for business and more employees return to work.
Through the consortium, “Keeping People Safe and Factories Running,” these companies have committed to taking extraordinary measures to keep their factories safe for employees and the communities in which they reside.
The manufacturer’s pledge, supported by a peer-to-peer review process, utilizes the collective skills and knowledge of the founding organizations, including experience from those who have overcome previous infectious episodes, like the SARS outbreak. The process leverages best practices aligned with the NYS Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The process includes the following key topics:
• Controlling site traffic
• Enhancing hygiene protocols
• Social distancing to reduced density
• Onsite emergency response
• Communicating to employees, community, and customers
MACNY President & CEO Randy Wolken said, “We all share in the pride of helping to keep the manufacturing industry productive and safe as the COVD-19 pandemic continues. I commend the first cohort for completing this innovative program, and I look forward to working with the companies that are presently in the process of peer review as part of the second cohort.”
The Indium Corporation in Utica was deemed an essential manufacturer when the state first shutdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company continued to produce materials for some of the nation’s most urgent needs, such as ventilators and first responder networks. Ross Berntson, who serves as Indium President and Chief Operating Officer, was instrumental in designing the consortium and completing the pledge.
Berntson stated, “We as manufacturers made intentional decisions to protect our people and keep our company running. This has allowed us to ensure critical industries are supplied, while maintaining a first priority of protecting our employees, families, and communities. As we begin to relax some protocols, and bring our office workers back into the buildings, it is critical we remain disciplined in following the guidelines we have set to continue to operate safely.”
Giovanni Foods in Baldwinsville, which produces a variety of hot or cold-filled products and beverages, also was deemed an essential manufacturer. Giovanni Foods CEO Louis DeMent is currently in the process of working with “Keeping People Safe and Factories Running,” part of the program’s second cohort that recently launched.
DeMent added, “Our team here at Giovanni Foods is proud to collaborate with MACNY and membership companies to help keep our people safe. We are an essential business and have been up and running consistently throughout the pandemic. The ability to share ideas and benchmarks with other manufacturing companies in our area has been invaluable. Keeping up with the rapidly changing regulations has been challenging but manageable given the fact that we can share ideas with our MACNY community to keep our plant up and running, while keeping the health and safety of each of our valuable team members at the forefront.”
For more information about “Keeping People Safe and Factories Running, please click here.