While we’re all experiencing strange times, machine shops around the country are in a unique position to pivot from their normal operations to fighting the spread of COVID-19. There is so much uncertainty in the world, but there are some bright spots. Here are a few things machine shops continue to do to fight COVID-19.

Contact-Free Shop Floors

The first way all machine shops can help is by limiting or eliminating person-to-person contact on the shop floor and front office. There are plenty of state and local mandates governing what businesses can remain open, but those that are can implement a number of new policies and practices to keep employees, vendors and customers safe. 

We talked about this in greater detail in our last blog post, but here are some of the highlights. First, limit the amount of people on the floor at any given time. If you are able to stagger shifts, do so. Furthermore, any front office personnel who have the ability should be permitted to work remotely. Finally, clean and sanitize equipment and common areas as often as possible.  

Manufacturing What’s Needed Most

Many large companies like Ford down to smaller operations have pivoted their manufacturing efforts to aiding the fight against COVID-19. For some shops, this means completely diverting manufacturing capabilities to an entirely new line of products such as respirators and masks, to those essential businesses that are focusing on their most impactful products. 

Certain industries are also seeing a new wave of utility. 3D printing, for example, is playing a large role in the greater manufacturing landscape. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. 

Keeping Workers On the Job

By taking the first two points in stride, many companies have been able to keep more employees on the payroll. There’s no denying the economic impact COVID-19 has had on every single aspect of our lives, but taking reasonable health and safety measures and turning manufacturing efforts to essential products has allowed companies across the country to keep their teams on the job. 

We understand that’s not possible for every machine shop, but hopefully all of these efforts mean things get back to normal as quickly as possible. Until then, stay safe and healthy. 

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