The critical situation of Covid-19 pandemic that led to the Emergency Decree enforcement since March 26 to get it under control is like a circuit breaker that has momentarily halted every organization to issue non-negotiable policy and measures to cope with the situation. A business continuity plan to handle the disrupted business is necessary right at this minute, especially for those having the production lines of various necessities that cannot be interrupted. One of the important supply chains is industrial tools and equipment as a supporter of upstream technology. This article will explore the business continuity plans and the situation assessments from some executives in the industrial tools and equipment business.

B&B Solimec: Coated abrasive products manufacturer and distributor

B&B Solimec has changed the way to contact suppliers and customers via video conference instead of meeting in person. It is trying its best to protect the factory to support customers who are still running their production. It has measures set in place to reduce the number of employees in the office, such as working from home, getting off work early, using an online billing system. Mr. Nat Krua-chottikul, Managing Director, commented that “The pandemic inevitably affects the industrial sector as a whole and it is difficult to predict the economic numbers after this. So, those in the industrial sector should cut down the currently unnecessary expenses and focus on studying and developing the organization dynamics. At B&B Solimec, we are taking this time of crisis to study automated production lines. If a company were a boat, then it should stop going out into the sea during the monsoon-hit and should get some improvements to be able to sail faster and further afterward.” He also wished that the government would have some measures to aid employees and entrepreneurs such as lowering the interest rates and debt suspensions.

Factory Max: Tools and equipment importer and distributor.

Factory Max has a weekly supplier assessment plan. Every supplier has a backup plan, such as overlapping work hours, having a backup team or a contingency production facility. Mr. Surapong Tangtaratorn, Managing Director, said that “The Covid-19 pandemic would not affect the industry a lot, except for those in tourism, services, and SMEs. The most affected part is traveling, which makes the technological work more difficult. Of course, the damage caused by the work leave is inevitable. But when the situation improves, the economy will begin to recover itself according to the market mechanism.” However, he suggested that this crisis is a learning opportunity to work online, to teach how to use tools through videos. All of these things will make the organization stronger. He said at the end that the government should also learn from these experiences in that it should have a preventive plan, a control plan, and an emergency plan for dealing with situations that may occur in the future.

KKC Bearing Service: Bearings and LM Guide importer and distributor. 

KKC Bearing Service focuses on the communications and work flows among employees and customers so that they feel they are in as normal situation as possible. The company is ready to promptly respond to any inquiries and to deliver products within the government restrictions. Mr. Suchart Tulayapornchoti, Managing Director, commented that “The industrial sector will slow down but will not be stagnant. The company has determined all aspects of the operational risks. It is well prepared to make any adjustments, choosing a proper plan according to the actual situation. The most important thing is to discuss in depth with customers so that we can provide service and assistance that hits the bull’s eye.” He commented further that “Currently, the government has measures for social distancing. In reality, it is impossible for everything to stop. The important thing is if there are any measures that the government considers beneficial in reducing the risks of spread, they should enforce them immediately without affecting the necessity of living.”

Precision Tooling Services (PTSC): Tools and equipment importer and distributor.

PTSC has established a war room to assess the situation, adjusting the company policy to be in line with the government’s. It has established the PTSC We Clean Project to clean every product before delivery, focusing on online orders to respond to the current situation. It has extra cutting tools and measuring equipment in stock. It has divided the employees into two groups; one works from home and the other works at the company. All of the above is the company’s accelerated business continuity plan. Mr. Rungsimon Sompornnimitkul, General Manager, commented that “This year is another difficult year for the Thai automotive industry due to many negative factors. Production has been decreasing quite a lot, which inevitably affects the companies. I think that the company's business will slow down in the second quarter.” However, PTSC is confident that new technologies will be needed in the market. So he ordered the 3D metal printer Renishaw AM 500 to prepare for serving customers after the situation returns to normal again.

Quality Report: Testing and measuring instrument importer and distributor.

Quality Report is using this opportunity to educate, train and develop skills for internal personnel. It schedules the employees to take turns to come to work at the company so that it can still serve customers seamlessly. Work and collaboration happens via online platforms. Some of the employees may travel to meet customers, especially to take care of customers as best as possible when customers encounter problems. It has also added online sales channels and sent E-newsletters directly to customers. Mr. Bundit Radesujalitkhul, Managing Director, expressed his views on the situation that “Work planning is difficult. The problem is the same everywhere. The government should have a clear policy and get the spread under control as quickly as possible.” He suggested that businesses should spend this time to develop skills of personnel to be able to move forward as soon as the economy recovers. He also expected that the economy would recover rapidly after this situation.

TaeguTec: Cutting tool manufacturer

TaeguTec (Thailand) has closely worked with the head office in South Korea and assessed the situation with affiliated companies. It has communicated with customers to determine the operational guidelines of the staff, especially focusing on the warehouse and delivery system. It has deployed warehouse management systems with the Matrix Vending Machine to assess usage and to prepare the inventory level appropriate to the production plan for each particular customer. It has extra products in stock for the needs of 3 months and a half. It extends the 30-day payment period for customers who order products to stock in advance. It has implemented various information systems and modern tools to collaborate with customers, which will be a new type of service and industrial equipment marketing in the future from now on. Mr. Poramate Pisitattakarn, General Manager, commented that “The Covid-19 pandemic severely caused an impact that may lead to a great economic recession, especially in the Thai automotive industry, which has reported a 17% reduction in production.” He also thought that every organization should come together to control and reduce the risks of spread. The government should integratedly work together to minimize any confusion and to be able to assess the situation correctly.

Tungaloy Cutting Tool: Cutting tool manufacturer

Tungaloy Cutting Tool (Thailand) is another company that realizes the importance of solving this pandemic situation and is even more concerned about the health of employees and their families. It has sent at-risk employees to have it checked, be quarantined and work from home. It has intense measures to cope with the shortages in labor and raw materials affected by the supply chains. It extends the payment period for customers under the conditions specified by the company and gives a special discount to distributors who order extra products to keep in their inventory. Mr. Dylan Khor, Managing Director, said that “This precarious situation results in a global slowdown and a disruption in the supply chains inevitably. It is necessary to create new jobs for people who are unemployed due to this outbreak and we would like the government to consider temporary reduction of corporate and individual taxes.” Regarding the situation after this, he predicted that “The economy will recover rapidly, in which China is the key player as we have seen that the production lines in China have been back up and running. What the manufacturers should be doing is to closely monitor the situation to be prepared to meet the demands quickly.”