At Saint-Gobain Life Sciences, our priority has always been the health and safety of our employees and ensuring that we continue to provide our customers with critical products that affect people’s daily lives. As the world responds to the unprecedented challenges associated with COVID-19, we’re dedicated to helping.
“Essential Business” Status
As governments have issued shelter-in-place and lockdown orders, our Life Sciences manufacturing sites have requested and received government designations as “essential businesses” and have continued to operate.
Our manufacturing employees are working hard to meet increased demand for critical components while adapting to new safety protocols. As site staffing can change unexpectedly, depending on a variety of factors, we are adjusting our scheduling to maximize output at all times, and keep lines open and running.
Continuing Operations and Employee Safety
Our business and plants have detailed business continuity plans that have been implemented to work logically and within the framework of sustainable business practices. These plans create an environment which facilitates social distancing and safer practices during this time, better enabling us to fulfill our commitments to customers. We have formed a special cross-functional committee that monitors the situation on a daily and even hourly basis and works to update policies based on the latest available information.
Specifically, on the actions we’ve taken across all of Saint-Gobain:
COVID-19 Business Prioritization
Following several direct customer discussions, we’ve identified which products are related to the fight against COVID-19 and have given them priority. We’ve placed priority on delivering orders for COVID-19 products, including single-use assemblies for the development of new vaccines and therapies as well as components for life-saving medical devices, such as ventilators and infusion pumps. Our teams are also working to increase capacity and expedite production, so customers can get healthcare providers and researchers what they need faster. If your Saint-Gobain purchased product is used in the prevention, detection, or treatment of COVID-19, please contact your Customer Service Representative or Business Development Manager to discuss establishing priority for your needs.
Global Supply Chain and Logistics Assessment Update
The supplier situation changes quickly and the Saint-Gobain Global Procurement Team continues to speak with suppliers for updates on their production and delivery capabilities.
Saint-Gobain Life Sciences is also actively monitoring the COVID-19 impact on transportation worldwide. We continue to work diligently with our freight forwarders, carriers, and brokers to limit the impact of unexpected port closures and flight cancellations on inbound raw material deliveries to our sites and finished good deliveries to our customers.
Looking Ahead
We will keep you abreast of any additional changes, but please know we’re continually monitoring the situation and making updates to policies to keep our employees and those we work with as safe as possible.