How COVID-19 Is Effecting the Manufacturing Industry

We are several weeks into the current COVID-19 pandemic. While the service and retail industries are beginning to open back up, many manufacturers have remained on the frontlines doing their part to keep the world running.

According to a recent four-part series by Smart Industry, different members of the manufacturing industry are facing the same struggles. This led the trade publication to interview industry experts and stakeholders. The editors wanted to gain manufacturers’ perspectives on the Coronavirus crisis to help others navigate this strange time.

Among those featured in the articles was the CEO and co-founder of SEPCO, Chris Wilder. Here’s what he had to say in Part 1 of the series:

“Critical manufacturers that support essential infrastructure should remain open and operating for the foreseeable future. For nonessential manufacturers, the fallout will be different. Our economy has already experienced negative effects. The hope is that the cases will diminish, and we can all get back to some normalcy. Of course, the timeline for this happening is unknown.”

Wilder ws also featured in Part 4 of the series. He said this regarding  the future of manufacturing:

“In many situations, innovation comes from difficult challenges. I expect innovation in medical-equipment manufacturing to occur during this time, either in manufacturing technique or speed of production. I also predict that our facility will be more cognizant of hand-washing and more careful during future cold and flu seasons. In general, I think remote work and digital learning will become more commonplace.”

Check out the full series from Smart Industry for more on how the manufacturing industry continues to fare during COVID-19.