Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1242780
May 2020 / 7 PBE L ast month in this space, we featured a quote that said: "Just because everything is different doesn't mean anything has changed." What a difference a month makes, especially in the context of the past month. The COVID-19 pandemic has been changing things hourly, and what used to be considered "normal" life has become a somewhat distant memory — for now anyway. As we go to press with this issue, the situation makes clear that we can't predict what the next month will bring. We do know that we'll continue doing our INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE T he COVID-19 crisis is unprecedented and raises many uncertainties. How will this affect you and your company? How will companies keep their personnel safe, abide by stay-at-home instruc- tions, and still provide essential services and keep operations going? We won't know the full impact until the crisis passes. In the meantime, I've been talking with many industry leaders, and their input is both inspiring and insightful. Most manufacturing plans are similar: production and operations personnel are at work, making the things we need while striving to maintain the appropriate dis- tance and hygiene practices. Many office personnel are now working from home for the first time, scrambling to figure out how to work in this new norm. At some other offices where personnel need to be present, no in-person meetings are allowed. And some have moved to weekly shifts, with half of the staff in the office and half at home, with a switch every other week. Still other companies have imposed zones, and people must stay within their zone, using drop-off points at interfaces so that products and documents can cross zones but not personnel. Will your company's sales be affected? Some com- panies, such as those that supply products for travel or group entertainment, will certainly see less demand for a while. Others are seeing an immediate increase in demand, for example, if they make hygiene or food products. Another long-term positive impact on domestic suppliers is the likely reconfiguring of some manufacturing pipelines to make the country less reli- ant on foreign suppliers. At the BSIC, we're working from home, but we go in as needed to perform research and testing for clients. What about you personally? Most of us are experi- encing both pluses and minuses. On the minus side, we have more isolation and more home distractions (even as our pets and small kids love having us home). On the plus side, many of us will have less commuting and less urgent day-to-day work demands, so we have the opportunity to invest in positive and important, but less urgent, things such as learning, reading journals and other trade information, and thinking about how to improve our company's products and processes. We don't know when the uncertainty will end. Until then, stay positive and take advantage of the unexpected benefits. Restart some old hobbies or learn how to do some new things that you might not have done several weeks ago. Hopefully, this will end before we each have to learn to cut our own hair! I'm confident that the pro- fessionalism in us will rise, along with our newfound education and skills. Perhaps the biggest silver lining is that we have the chance to take stock of both our per- sonal and professional lives, with a renewed apprecia- tion for our associates, friends, and loved ones. Todd Smith, K-State Bulk Solids Innovation Center The pandemic's effect on industry Letter to readers best to bring you industry information, event updates, and equipment information and articles to help you in your day-to-day operations. To you, your staff, families, customers, suppliers, vendors, and more, we wish the patience, strength, and determination to get through this difficult time — along with continued good health! Sincerely, The PBE staff