WILD Gruppe Informationsplattform fuer MitarbeiterWILD has put together a comprehensive package of measures to protect the health of all its staff while securing the supply of its customers. The package creates a suitable setting for keeping up with the increasing requirements in the market.

Reliable. Precise. Flexible. WILD has been the “most trusted” partner for many of its customers for decades and, now more than ever, has proven worthy of this attribute. “Indeed, some of our suppliers are confronted with operational and national restrictions. However, because we have intensively driven optimisation measures in supply chain management and agility in practically all areas of our business, these limitations present a manageable challenge even in these times of the coronavirus pandemic”, stresses WILD Group CEO Josef Hackl. The contract manufacturer benefits from the fact that the broad diversification of its customer products has always required a high level of flexibility from its staff, and is now helping to absorb the current volatilities in the market. WILD makes up for drops in demand, e.g. in facility technology, through increased business in in-vitro diagnostics, especially in the manufacturing of diagnostic devices. There is great demand here among manufacturers, most of whom are based in Central Europe” emphasises Wolfgang Warum, CTO of the WILD Group.

Solid crisis management

“In these difficult times, we are equally committed to protecting our staff as best we can and to the reliable delivery of our products”, Josef Hackl emphasises. In order to ensure the supply of its customers, WILD immediately activated its business contingency plan after the coronavirus outbreak became known, set up a Covid-19 crisis team that convenes three times a week, and introduced numerous measures for the protection of its staff. “In addition to five basic personal rules, we also introduced a special type of shift operation, so as to guarantee production even in the event that members of staff should test positive. All of our staff are working in teams in different shifts without a time overlap”, Hackl explains. Even staff working from home are allocated to a specific shift. Therefore, if in exceptional cases they need to come to the company, they can only do so during their shift. Additional safety precautions include the closure of the staff restaurant and prohibiting individuals who do not belong to the company from entering the premises.

 

Safety stock in parts supply

The response teams are in constant exchange with our suppliers to secure the continuation of parts supply. “Moreover, we pre-emptively adjusted our material scheduling parameters and built up an additional safety stock for various individual components”, says Hackl.

Wherever possible, including in the areas of development, scheduling and business development, our staff was instructed to work from home. A stable data connection allows for an unhindered communication both within the company and with customers and suppliers. Meetings take place via video conference, and information is exchanged in forums. “We put a particular emphasis on this close and permanent coordination. If we are informed about changes in the demand in due time, we can focus all of our efforts on the requirements of our customers as best we can”, emphasise Josef Hackl and Wolfgang Warum in unison.