So that was 2020 – phew! It has seemed a long time coming but we are finally ready to usher in a new year, a year that will hopefully see us get back to a level of normality that eases the pressure somewhat.
Now, we realise that many businesses have suffered during the pandemic and certain sectors in particular have been very hard hit. However, across the board, we have seen our food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry customers rise to the occasion, dig in and surmount the many challenges Covid-19 and the lockdown restrictions have presented.
Moreover, we’ve seen a real drive from companies to ‘put their house in order’ to better ride the storm and give them as strong a foundation as possible to bounce back stronger in 2021. We have enjoyed a healthy surge in enquiries from new customers who are specifically looking to engage a knowledgeable lubrication partner to guide them to ‘best practice’.
Compliance and reliability have been the main motivators from companies who want to be beyond reproach with regard to their processes, not only to ensure they meet and exceed the relevant industry standards but also to give their customers (and their customers’ customers) the extra reassurance they are seeking during the current situation.
From creating solutions to overcome the restrictions of social distancing and high demand resulting in increased machinery workload, to the impact of diversifying into new client sectors, we have seen customers display a staggering degree of astuteness which we have only slightly jokily termed ‘2020 vison’ – the kind of blue sky thinking that tends only to emerge from the greyest of outlooks!
The Activate team have had to be resourceful too. From the shift to working predominantly from home to the restrictions of not being able to visit our customers in person to train and support them, we have had to make several rounds of operational juggles to ensure our service has remained at the highest level.
These potential clouds, however, have resulted in many silver linings – for example, we have developed an online training solution to make our renowned ‘toolbox talks’ available 24/7 to participating customers, which we are looking to expand in 2021. We have also realised the truth that knowledge, experience, honesty and a passion for ‘best practice’ resonate with buyers and engineers regardless of whether they are communicated in person, via email or via Zoom!
Throughout 2020, we’ve made it easier than ever to engage with us and establish an ongoing relationship that guarantees lubrication audit compliance, rationalises your inventory, saves you hassle and prevents avoidable production downtime. If you employ a food grade lubrication culture, please contact us to discuss how you can make your production site a well-oiled machine in 2021!
We would like to end by saying how proud we are to work in the industry we do. The stress of this year aside, it’s been a privilege to see how everyone has pulled together to keep our chunk of the British economy open and operational despite Covid-19’s best efforts. We’ll all learn from what went well this year (and what didn’t), continue to look out for each other and reap the rewards of long-lasting, enduring relationships. Bring on the new year!