Strategy for a phased return
28th April 2020

EMPLAS has set out its strategy to protect employees and customers, after beginning a phased return to work last week.

Managing Director Ryan Johnson said demand from the commercial sector, as well as from its Australian retail business, Ecostar, which has remained open throughout the global pandemic, made getting back to work imperative.

“The demand didn’t ever stop,” he said, “The day after we shut down we had calls from commercial contractors and housebuilders, asking us what our plans were to get back. “That and the continuing demand from our Australian business got us thinking about the return to work very early on.

He added: “We’ve not just ‘come back’, We’ve been planning the safe and phased restart of our operations for weeks - and I believe that that’s something which will benefit us and our customers going forward.”

This includes investment in PPE, new signage, hand sanitizer cleansing stations, a restructure of its factory floor and offices, as well as the introduction of new deep cleaning schedules. All employees are also subject to daily temperature checks.

Emplas’ focus, has, however, been as much on driving a new culture of awareness. This includes a training programme and assessment, which all employees must take and pass, before being allowed back to work.

Ryan continued: “We’ve come back initially with 12 fabricators. That’s 12 people in an 80,000sq ft factory. Each and every person on site has also gone through a full training and assessment before being allowed to start work.”

Emplas has also launched a series of guides to support installers in getting back to work based on its direct experience of retail through T&K Home Improvements and Ecostar, both of which are already at work.

www.emplas.co.uk