Staying Open During COVID-19: Our Commitment

A global pandemic is not the time to drag your feet when your company is committed to meeting its customer commitments for parts. It would have been much easier for Apex to just shut the doors and wait for life to return to some kind of normal. But we never think in that type of mind frame. Our first thought was: “How do we keep the flow of products, moving to our customer?” We had a handful of customers who had parts that were deemed “essential” which allowed Apex to keep the lines running while protecting the remaining team members. COVID-19 required the team to get busy heading down a path of unknowns. They immediately gathered as much information and supplies as they could including hand sanitizer, masks and thermometers. Signs were posted, letters sent to limit visits and restrict access. Then a plan was made that included installing all motion-sensitive lights to avoid touching switches as well as faucets and all other restroom equipment. Our lunchroom machines were shut down and the entire building was cleaned and sanitized top to bottom. Cleaning protocols were put in place and schedules made to keep common surfaces cleaned and sanitized after each use. We also purchased a fogging unit and hospital-grade solution to fog the plant and other high flow areas on a regular basis. Foot-operated door openers, barriers and sanitizing stations were added along with a UV light germ killing unit was installed in our air system. We even have a thermal scanner installed at the time clock to take each employee’s temperature at the start of each shift. The system sends management to each employee’s number as well as giving the green or red light to the employee. Apex then reviewed the improvements and felt confident that all that could be done to protect our team members and visitors. As we continue to call our staff back to the “new normal” we are confident that they will stay healthy at work. We continue to monitor best practices and government mandates to stay on top of the situation. We remain committed to our safety record as we move ahead to keep our teams healthy and our customer’s schedules.