The wheels keep turning

With many members of the workforce facing unemployment and slashed hours, manufacturing companies across the nation do their part in keeping the lines running.

Local manufacturers such as Wellman Dynamics of Creston and Cardinal Glass of Greenfield have monitored the situation and made the adjustments they’ve deemed fit.

“The health and safety of our teams is our top priority,” said Cardinal Glass in a press release. “Risk mitigation actions are being implemented in support of the nation’s efforts to slow the spread of the virus, and successfully operate our business.”

Cardinal Glass has been pushing employees to practice good communication about whether someone is ill or has been exposed to someone ill, and employees who have traveled out of state are required to take 14 days to self-quarantine.

Jim Pinto, CEO of Wellman Dynamics, said the manufacturer has been taking precautions with mitigation but the main adjustment the company has made is with sanitation.

“The only real change has been the house keeping,” said Pinto.

Sanitation at Wellman has more than doubled, said Pinto, and areas are properly cleaned multiple times a shift. Employees have also been encouraged to practice social distancing in the workplace, with limitations on break room seating and visitors both in and outside the building.

As for supply lines, neither manufacturer said they are concerned about having the necessary materials needed to continue production.

“Cardinal Glass Industries’ major supplies and components for our manufacturing requirements are strong,” stated a press release. “They are being closely monitored by the Research & Development Department in Minneapolis for all Cardinal facilities.”

However, factories do require personal protective equipment such as dust masks, which have been in short supply due to high demand in medical facilities.

“Nobody can get their hands on PPE, and that is no exception for us,” said Pinto, CEO of Wellman Dynamics. “All our hand sanitizers are in short supply as well as dust masks.”

Both manufacturers said they intend to continue monitoring the situation, and currently neither have had to cut hours or issue layoffs.

“We are very busy, we are a large defense contractor, so there hasn’t been a major impact for us yet,” said Pinto.

Cardinal Glass said they have extended their leaves of absence for those affected directly or indirectly by the pandemic, and employees may qualify for unemployment benefits in those situations.

“Cardinal’s number one priority is to keep all of our employees, families and community safe and healthy during this unprecedented time,” said Cardinal Glass. “New challenges arise hourly and every employee is performing with due diligence to mitigate the risks.”

Representatives of Bunn-O-Matic locations in Creston and Springfield, Illinois, were contacted, but declined to comment.