COVID-19 UPDATE – 3.24.20
March 24, 2020
Dear Valued SVI Trucks Partner:
In light of changing restrictions and “shelter in place” orders put in place in response of the COVID-19 pandemic, we would like to provide an update on our team, facilities, operations and business availability, along with the precautions SVI Trucks and its related divisions (SVI Graphics and SVI Refurb) are taking to ensure the safety of our employees, suppliers, customers and community while delivering on our commitment to aid the emergency industry in this unprecedented time.
In accordance with the Department of Homeland Security’s Essentials Workers guidance memorandum, issued on March 19, 2020, SVI Trucks’ services are part of the Critical Business Infrastructure, and our workers are “necessary for the manufacturing of materials and products needed for … transportation, emergency services and the defense industrial base.” Many of our products serve rescue and medical response functions that are critical in maintaining and expanding first responder capabilities; additionally, the SVI Refurb division is essential in providing service and repair to existing vehicles that must stay operational during this time.
To stay in accordance with U.S. Centers for Disease Control guidelines and to safeguard our employees’ wellbeing, SVI Trucks and its related divisions are open and operating, but at a reduced capacity. We have instituted a number of measures to decrease person-to-person contact and have implemented aggressive sanitizing procedures required of our production team members throughout the day. Additionally, we are transitioning select office staff to work from home as their positions allow.
SVI has also implemented travel restrictions for all sales staff. We are asking all visitors, including our valued customers, partners and suppliers to suspend any scheduled visits. We are strongly encouraging the use of our video teleconferencing services for customers who have pre-construction, mid-inspections or truck finals already scheduled. We remain available to respond to your needs by phone, email or webinar; normal business hours remain in effect.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a force majeure event with societal and business impacts that are rapidly evolving; we are doing our best to work with partnering suppliers to maintain all essential orders. We ask that our buyer/commodity partners provide any updates as their business is affected to help us continue to evaluate and forecast our own production. In return, our executive committee is regularly assessing local, state and federal directives to ensure we are operating in accordance with guidelines; should operational circumstances change, we will communicate those changes to our customers and partners as soon as possible.
At this time, we stand ready to serve, and we hope for everyone’s health and safety.
Ron Weinmeister
SVI Trucks President
E: ronw@svitrucks.com
The COVID-19 pandemic is a force majeure event with societal and business impacts that are rapidly evolving. Accordingly, the statements above reflects SVI Trucks’ current good-faith assessment based on reasonable interpretations of current information and is subject to change and makes no warranty of any kind.