Secop Sets Up Emergency Response Team for Pandemic

Secop, a Flensburg, Germany based manufacturer of hermetic compressors for cooling circuits, has set up an emergency response team for the COVID-19 pandemic that meets virtually each week and works to establish health measures “in continuous contact with health agencies,” the company said in a statement on its website.

With posters and regular newsletters Secop is informing employees about how to avoid infection“as well as giving other crucial information including emergency numbers,” the company said.

Furthermore, it is “constantly monitoring supply chains to ensure production is maintained and sharing knowledge with our suppliers.”

Secop’s response in Europe and North America builds its early action in their production facilities in Tianjin, China.

In its Chinese facilities, Secop was “faced with and had to deal with the crisis very early on. Thanks to the countermeasures we rapidly implemented, the Chinese authorities confirmed our compliance with mandatory hygiene requirements and we were able to re-start production extremely quickly.”

Measures in the Chinese productions facilities include disinfecting the factory during the New Year holiday; supplying workers with gloves, masks, and disinfectant; and installing isolation devices on the assembly line to ensure minimum distancing.

In the U.S. and Europe, Secop’s factories have taken similar measures. Disinfectant has been installed in all company locations; daily cleaning activities have increased and all canteens have been closed. A contingency plan has been set up for emergencies, including quarantine rooms.

In addition, business trips are also cancelled, remote work is encouraged wherever possible, andemployees must “self-isolate for 14 days if they or any member of their household returns from a trip to an infected region,” Secop said.

Workers are also using virtual privacy networks (VPNs) or Citrix, and the company has increased its bandwidth for efficient connections. Truck drivers must follow a safety protocol and all porters must wear face masks and gloves.

In its manufacturing plant in Zlaté Moravce, Slovakia, Secop has taken extra actions in line with local government guidelines. All visitors on site must have their temperature checked and white-collar workers are “divided into two equally sized groups, one working in the office, the other at home, rotating every week.”