Why Reid Packaging is an Essential Business
Over the past month, as the COVID-19 pandemic has ground the US economy to a near-halt, and many businesses have been shuttered by government mandate, we’ve had a number of clients call to ask if we are still working.
Reid Packaging is in full operation.
We have been deemed an essential business by the Department of Homeland security and are required to fulfill certain of our orders and fulfill our customer’s contracts. In order to safely continue operations at our facility, we are following guidelines concerning the mitigation of viral spread at the workplace (social distancing, regular hand-washing, sanitization of tools and supplies). And we are doing everything in our power to keep our employees and clients safe from contamination.
The Essential Business of Crate and Corrugated Box-Making
You might be surprised to learn that crate and box manufacturing is an essential business right now. The truth is that we have always been an essential business. We are a supplier for businesses that are contracted by the Federal Government to supply the Department of Defense (DoD). That means that we are part of the Department of Defense’s critical manufacturing supply chain. The crates and boxes that we make are often used for a crucial step in this supply chain, getting defense systems, weapons parts, and other military items from the supplier to the government. We call this Mil-Spec crating, and it requires us to adhere to special instructions by the military to safely package and move items. Our crates and boxes are crucial to the smooth functioning of the defense department’s operations—-operations that cannot be compromised even during this pandemic.
The Department of Defense is also involved in the control and mitigation of COVID-19. The National Guard has been deployed in many break out areas where extra manpower and supplies are required. For these reasons, the Department of Defense cannot allow its suppliers to stop working, as that could cause a break in the supply chain that serves the DoD. Without a dependable supply chain the DoD would have more trouble providing crucial services like National Guard deployments here in the US and defense missions abroad.
Continuing to work during the COVID-19 Pandemic
We are well-positioned to continue our operations. We are a small and lean company, with a number of dedicated and long-term employees. Our huge facility is easily able to accommodate 6-foot social distancing recommendations. Employees are spread out on our shop floor, with ample space. Each employee uses their own set of tools and supplies, minimizing the number of surfaces that multiple workers must touch. For this reason, we believe that we are well-positioned to keep our employees healthy and continue to provide a high level of service for our clients.
In this difficult time, we feel lucky to be able to safely continue our work and serve our clients. We take our essential business seriously, understanding that it is crucial to maintain the supply chain for federal and local government contracts, enabling required goods to move safely and securely.
We hope you are staying well during these months, and we look forward to serving you. Get in touch if you have a custom crating job, or if you have any questions about our capacity during this pandemic.
