We’re in uncharted territory, but doing what sailors do best: getting prepared….
With both our factory and service desk remaining open as usual we’re standing by to help with any enquires or requests for support.
Situation at Corsair Marine
The good news is that we are in business as usual at this stage. We have a full workforce at the factory and there has been no impact to our production schedule. At Corsair, we remain quite unaffected to date and whilst we are monitoring the situation daily and preparing for the worst, we are optimistic about the impact COVID-19 shall have on our workforce and business. Despite no local cases we have proactively prepared for a number of situations including direct contact with a COVID-19 carrier. A wash station has been erected at the gate of the factory, with all employees or visitors required to wash hands as well as receive a temperature check prior to entry into the premises. We have run re education programs on general hygiene, and are offering our staff supporting education on preparing their families at home for prevention.
Situation with Supply Chain
We are fortunate to have been well stocked with materials prior to the outbreak and currently have stock of all essentials. For us, our resins and fiberglass are core to keeping our business running and we are currently holding over 3 months of stock, which provides us with enough buffer to allow for delays in deliveries if any are to occur. We order most of our supplies from Australia, the United States and Europe so we are monitoring the effect in Europe daily and are advancing orders to ensure shipments are dispatch prior to any possible logistics restrictions. We only receive some basic raw materials from china such as consumables and fiberglass matting and we are happy to hear from our suppliers there that the country is recovering, factories are re-opening and there is a sense of business as usual again. This is a good sign for us and our friends around the world that while we are only just feeling the peak of this pandemic now, others have begun to recover, as shall we.
Whilst our stock levels and fwd orders are carefully monitored and are well in hand at this stage we are aware that any new part orders shall be delivered with longer lead times that we would typically expect to see. We are therefore asking all owners with boats under construction to finalyse all options choices before the end of the month to enable us to fwd plan and ensure all goods are delivered on time so we can continue to deliver your boats on schedule.
Situation in Vietnam
The Vietnamese government has done an excellent job in proactively taking action to implement preventative measures in early February the government began taking actions such as the closure of schools, and the issuance of guidelines for businesses and individuals to be prepared. Strict quarantine measures have also been adopted with borders now closed to many European nations and immediate and enforceable quarantine for anyone in contact with someone tested positive and even people up to 3 levels of separation from people in contact with the virus. Since then these measures have increased to the closure of bars, clubs and spars and the introduction of a policy making the wearing of face masks compulsory in all public places. Despite bordering China and being at threat quite early on in this outbreak, as of 19th March Vietnam currently only has 76 active cases of COVID-19.
What can YOU do to help?
Governments are calling for people to isolate themselves from others to flatten the curve and reduce the spread… social distancing they’re calling it. While we agree it is important to restrict your contact with others at this time, it’s also important to go outside and keep your body moving. Especially if you’re working from home and inside most of the day, your body needs fresh air to stay healthy and moving during this difficult time. While many unknowns remain about the virus, earlier studies have shown that viruses in general thrive better in cool, dry climates. So, if you’ve been sent home from work or are trying out social distancing, to keep yourself and you’re family safe from harm, get out on the water and go sailing. By modern definition, we’d say Sailors have been social distancing for years. Go for a sail, get some fresh air and sunshine, keep your distance from crowds and above all else stay safe and remain vigilant.
No one can predict the evolution of this pandemic and the impact it will have on world economies. It will mostly depend on how fast governments react and how disciplined the populations of those nations will be. At Corsair, we shall continue to take the situation very seriously but stay positive. We are resilient, we will take the hit, get through this together, recover and come out of this stronger than ever.
