Press Release: Paint and Coatings Industry Supporting Essential Services at this Critical Time
April 8, 2020, Ottawa ON: During these difficult times dealing with the pandemic CPCA members have been working responsibly to ensure safe workplaces for staff and their ongoing interactions with suppliers and customers. Our manufacturer members have been able to continue operations as required under new protocols for essential workplaces where required across the country. As part of this effort they have applied all recommended measures by governments and various Occupational Health and Safety groups. Health and safety measures have always been an integral part of operations across the paint and coatings supply chain providing strong protection of the workforce and those with whom they interact.
Gary LeRoux, CPCA’s President and CEO stated, “Our member companies fully understand the importance of their workforce and the many years of service workers have provided to help sustain and grow their businesses, which will help ensure continuity beyond the pandemic when normal business operations resume.”
Paint and coatings companies supply products across a broad spectrum of essential services such as finishes on medical equipment including ventilators; foodservice products like cans, jars and packaging for accessible and secure food sources; maintenance of critical infrastructure such as health care and public facilities; critical support for essential utilities, transportation and logistics; and feedstocks for construction, communications and information technology. The coatings industry is essential to numerous other industries for their products and services, including those on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response. These include everything from swab sticks to endotracheal tubes, liquid plasters for wound dressings, and from protective clothing to respirators. Coatings manufacturing companies – and upstream suppliers and distributors – remain in operation to sustain the capacity needed to supply essential inputs throughout the pandemic.
CPCA will continue its advocacy efforts in support of member operations by assuring governments and workers that the paint and coatings industry will continue best practices in support of mitigation and containment efforts during the pandemic. At the same time, it will continue with essential economic activities as designated by governments for the benefit of all Canadians.