In the heart of the pandemic: Gel's witness between lockdown and Phase 2

The end of the lockdown in Italy on May 4 marked the beginning of a long period of coexistence with the coronavirus, the so-called "Phase 2". While the Covid-19 pandemic appears to be under control in Italy and Europe, the damage suffered by families, businesses and the economy in general is increasingly evident. It's only natural we start wondering: could we foresee the emergency? Have the containment measures been adequate? What future awaits us?

We had a brief chat on the subject with GEL, a specialist in the production of a wide range of steel wire products located in Lombardy, 30 km north of Milan, in the epicentre of the pandemic in Italy.

"Unfortunately, I don't think anyone could have foreseen such a serious and dramatic situation. As far as our company is concerned, we suspended production in the first days of March in compliance with government regulations, implementing agile working practices to reorganize the sales and administration departments. Our factory remained closed until April 24, when we were allowed to resume our activities. Of course, we reopened our gates with enthusiasm and desire to make up for lost time". - commented Mr. Jody Giussani, Sales and Logistics Manager of the Italian company.

While closing the plant was not easy, restarting production has been even harder. "Today, in hindsight, I think we could have reopened earlier. In order to resume activities and ensure the safety of workers, we adopted all the procedures required by the national protocol, such as masks, disinfectants, body temperature controls, and daily sanitizations. I hope this will be enough to prevent the virus from spreading again, because I don't think the country could face a new stop. Italy needs Made in Italy and should support the entrepreneurs".

Finally, the conversation moved on the topic of future prospects. "Our company relies heavily on trade shows as a business opportunity. To date, however, I have no idea how and when we will be able to attend a new event again. Under these conditions, it will not be obvious to see strong participation of both exhibitors and visitors". - continues Mr Giussani "It is a fact that everyone has stopped for a while, some more, some less, but we will probably see the real consequences of the lockdown later on. Everything will depend on the demand and the need for products. At the moment, for example, the Automotive industry is completely at a standstill. I hope everything will get back to normal. Perhaps not everything: the effect of the virus on the environment has really been incredible and it looks like pollution has disappeared all of a sudden for a few weeks. We should all take stock of what happened and commit ourselves to changing our habits for our sake."