Update: Hemlock Harling’s response to the COVID-19 Outbreak

April 9, 2020

Hemlock Harling continues to adjust our operations in response to the COVID-19 global health crisis. We have compiled a list of important updates, following up our last communication on March 17.

Government of British Columbia – List of COVID-19 Essential Services

Released March 26th and updated on April 3rd, the Government of British Columbia released a list of services which are “essential to preserving life, health, public safety and basic societal functioning.”
The list was developed by Emergency Management BC in consultation with other government ministries and the Provincial Health Officer (PHO)
As a manufacturer within the Metro Vancouver area, Hemlock Harling provides data, mailing, print production, warehousing and distribution services which support the continued operation of other essential organizations, both public and private
Our customers include Municipal Governments, Provincial and Federal Agencies, Crown Corporations and other essential organizations across multiple sectors including food and agriculture, retail, transportation, manufacturing, communications and financial
Based on the definition and guidelines set forth by the Government of BC, Hemlock Harling continues to operate as an essential service during this crisis
Learn more about the BC Government Essential Services List

Preventing the Spread of COVID-19

We are ensuring full compliance with the Guidance for BC Manufacturers developed and published by the Government of BC on March 25^th
We are assessing our workplace practices on a daily basis and making ongoing improvements to ensure we are adhering to all social distancing, cleaning and hygiene guidelines set forth by the Public Health Officer
These preventative measures, along with all those listed within our March 17^th update remain in effect until further notice

Flexible Business Response

As with most organizations in Canada and around the world, we have experienced an impact on our overall business activity as a result of the outbreak
Effective Monday March 30th, we transitioned all Production and Office staff to reduced hours to prepare for a federally supported Work Sharing program which enables us to reduce our capacity to an appropriate level, while retaining our staff through this temporary downturn
This flexible model provides us with the ability to scale our production capacity as needed, on very short notice if necessary
Being in a high-service industry, our ability to respond quickly to customer requests remains extremely important as governments, affiliated agencies and organizations across multiple sectors must rapidly adapt and respond to the changing environment

Stable Supply Chains and Continuity Planning

We have not experienced, nor do we anticipate, any interruptions in our supply chains during the outbreak period
These supply chains include our supply of paper, envelopes and other materials used within our processes, none of which have experienced interruptions in supply to date
We are in regular contact with our key suppliers, including Canada Post, to ensure a reliable and continued availability of all necessary materials, maintenance support and subtrade services
As noted on our March 17th update, should the outbreak have a direct impact on our operations, we continue to maintain the availability of partner facilities within Canada and the US to ensure continuity of production should the need arise

Hemlock Printers – COVID-19 Infographic Posters Program

Our valued partner, Hemlock Printers, is working with HP, Spicers and Novex Couriers to deliver, free of charge, infographic signage which communicates the practices we must all apply to effectively flatten the COVID-19 curve
To learn more about this program, visit Hemlock’s Inklings blog post, or their ordering page
The program is specifically directed to organizations within the Vancouver Lower Mainland, but if you are interested in receiving posters outside of this area, please contact Hemlock at hemlock.com/contact and they will do their best to accommodate.

It has become clear that our fight against this virus will take place over the weeks and months ahead and we remain committed to doing our part, working in close partnership with our staff, suppliers, customers and the wider community.

We thank you for your ongoing support and we wish you continued safety and good health. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your primary Hemlock Harling contact with any questions or feedback.

Paul Mackie Signature