Still, even with new protocols, outbreaks are possible in factories. Some plants could still have slowdowns if new cases of COVID-19 arise, he said.
“People are part of the supply chain. They must be healthy and able to work for everything to keep moving along,” Blades said.
As soon as there was an inkling this virus could be a threat, equipment manufacturers prioritized the needs of farmers for planting.
“We dropped everything else to position them first,” said Greg Toorman, vice president of global materials, logistics and demand planning for AGCO.
AGCO, a global supplier of ag solutions with brands including Massey-Ferguson, GSI, Precision Planting and Fendt, picked up on the threat of the novel coronavirus in early December. Before most people had heard the term “COVID-19”, they addressed getting inventory early from suppliers in China and closely monitored the situation. They knew when and what to expect from the Chinese supply network.
By Feb. 10, when workers started going back to manufacturing in China, the company dispatched personal protection equipment so employees could work safely.
As the virus moved towards Japan and Korea, AGCO was using a risk management program that confirmed COVID cases according to populations. This allowed them to focus on getting components they needed from the suppliers in the countries soon to be fighting the virus before the slowdowns struck.They were able to pull items two or three weeks early from suppliers to keep the supply chain moving so farmers would have what they needed in the spring.
