Group Hug
There are “Helpers” in this world and, unfortunately, there are predatory “Takers,”
as well. Both respond to a crisis with great alacrity, and as we enter month three of
the COVID-19 pandemic, my inbox swells and my head spins with stories of the
former. Helpers take many different shapes and forms, are both professional and volunteer,
and within the aerosol and spray packaging industry, the response to this crisis has been
robust, to say the least.
According to market research firm AMC Global, consumers are paying close attention
to company response and can see through attempts to cash in on the crisis. The study indicates
that 68% of U.S. consumers want to hear how companies are treating employees and
handling their needs during the pandemic, with almost 93% open to hearing from brands
during this time. Sixty-three percent want to hear how companies are supporting their
communities; 56% want to hear about direct donations of goods and services; 57% want
to hear how companies are adjusting supply lines to help with medical supply shortage and
55% care about how they are supporting the medical community.
The study also cites certain consumer packaged goods (CPG) firms by name—Lysol (RB),
Clorox and Procter & Gamble—noting that in these troubled times, the positive perception
of these companies far exceeds any negatives comments.
These stats indicate that not only do consumers want to know what is going on, they, in
fact, expect it. That’s why we’ve launched an Industry Gives Back pop-up on SPRAY’s home
page (www.spraytm.com). Click on this daily-updated link to learn what the aerosol, packaging
and CPG industries are doing to help those in need.
The link was created because we simply can’t list all of these “Helper” stories within
our pages. There are just too many, but that is a worthwhile problem to have. As well, we
wouldn’t want to be forced to leave out a mention due to “space limitations.”
Here’s just a sampling of how our industry is rising to this global challenge:
• A U.S. Aerosol can label company is giving priority to hand sanitizer labels and taking
care of essential customers first.
• A U.S. aerosol recycling facility has shifted its focus to recycling ethanol products to
send to distillation companies for hand sanitizer production.
• A spray packaging plant in India is supplying 500 food packages to employees and migrant
workers affected by the travel ban due to border closures in the wake of COVID-19.
• A pump packaging company’s Spain plant has adapted a mold to manufacture over
100,000 pieces for face shields; its UK plant is printing face shields and connecting pieces
for ventilators; its offices in China and South Korea are working with Asian partners to
donate protective equipment and source hand sanitizer packaging for Europe and the U.S.
Some of the equipment destined for use by its factory and warehouse staff in Germany and
the U.S. is now marked for donation to hospitals and care facilities.
• Industrial products manufacturers are switching to production of filters for powered
air purifying respirators (PAPRs).
• A personal care ingredients manufacturer is donating over 100 million protective
masks to health care facilities and first responders in Germany.
• Multiple companies are either boosting or initiating hand sanitizer production, with
many donating supplies to local health care facilities.
• Packaging companies are donating various types of packaging to fillers working to
produce disinfecting products for first-responders and those in need.
So check out the link and stay apprised of Industry Gives Back. Have a story to share?
Send news and images directly to acaridad@spraytm.com. A picture is worth a thousand
words, so please include one if available.
Stay safe,
6 Spray May 2020
SPRAY Technology & Marketing
Cynthia Hundley
Publisher
chundley@spraytm.com
Ava Caridad
Editorial Director
acaridad@spraytm.com
Veronica MacDonald Ditko
Assistant Editor
assteditor@spraytm.com
Montfort A. Johnsen
Technical Editor
montyjohnsen@att.net
Susan Carver
Vice President, Administration
scarver@spraytm.com
Doug Bacile
National Sales Manager
dbacile@spraytm.com
Donald Farrell
Production
production@spraytm.com
Miguel Bravo
Graphic Artist
Circulation
circulation@spraytm.com
Volume 30, No 5, May 2020
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