{"id":23492,"date":"2021-05-13T12:30:06","date_gmt":"2021-05-13T10:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wnie.online\/?p=23492"},"modified":"2021-05-18T14:49:02","modified_gmt":"2021-05-18T12:49:02","slug":"feature-interview-with-indium-corp-2020-the-year-that-industry-innovated-and-overcame","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wnie.online\/feature-interview-with-indium-corp-2020-the-year-that-industry-innovated-and-overcame\/","title":{"rendered":"Feature Interview with Indium Corp \u2013 2020: The year that industry innovated and overcame"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A challenging year for industry to say the least \u2013 and one that has forced companies to adapt by re-evaluating their existing practices and technologies. Over the last weeks we have caught up with industry figures to discuss how\u00a0leading\u00a0companies\u00a0have\u00a0reacted to and mitigated the global Covid-19 disruption in 2020 and how they will\u00a0approach 2021 with a renewed mindset.<\/em><\/p>\n

Kirsty Hazlewood interviewed Ross Berntson<\/strong> – President and Chief Operating Officer, Indium Corp.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Firstly, how did your company initially react to the crisis?<\/strong><\/p>\n

As a global company, our team had a head start due to SARS and MERS infectious episodes that had previously impacted our facilities in Asia. Experiences combating onsite transmission allowed us to institute best practices quickly and efficiently. We established hygiene teams for each facility that implemented site control, health surveys, and social distancing. Most importantly, we approached the pandemic with a commitment to follow the latest guidelines from the CDC, continuous learning and improvement, and open and continual communication. Throughout this time, we reached out to a number of manufacturers to collaborate and share these practices. From these conversations, Indium Corporation and a number of New York State manufacturers, in coordination with the Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY), created and committed to a pledge to enhance manufacturing workplace safety while ensuring production was uninterrupted.<\/p>\n

Supply chain challenges affecting production were a major consequence of the pandemic \u2013 what areas of the supply chain both regionally and product-wise were worst hit, and how did you overcome the disruption and manage supply chain risk?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The worst hit segments were those that were effectively shut down due to the pandemic, especially elective surgeries which reduced demand for key medical devices that are assembled with bio-compatible solders and brazes. The automotive industry was not forced to shut down, but companies voluntarily idled their assembly lines to tool up for safe practices and wait out the worst of the demand slump. Of course, with the increased electrification of vehicles, this shutdown was keenly felt, especially in Europe.<\/p>\n

How did your operating procedures change regarding staff absenteeism and health and safety? Did you implement a work-from-home policy? What did this mean for normal business operations?<\/strong><\/p>\n

As an essential business, Indium Corporation has been fully operational since the beginning of the pandemic. The manufacturing pledge allowed us to keep people safe and our factories running by restricting our operations in a way that protected employees while allowing for continued production. The pledge focused on:<\/p>\n