CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATES FOR CUSTOMERS AND SUPPLIERS

R-V Industries’ COVID-19 Action Plan (download in PDF)

Update History

• Friday, September 18, 2020
• Monday, March 23, 2020
• Thursday, March 19, 2020
• Sunday, March 15, 2020
• Friday, March 13, 2020

An Update on Our Corporate Strength

In contrast to the virus outbreaks across much of the country over the past six months, R-V continues to be blessed with good health resulting from the diligent health and safety protocols we implemented along with support from our partner suppliers and clients. Our team continues to find ways to keep us on a solid foundation while meeting corporate performance targets.

This has been a challenging year for many businesses, and we would like to thank our clients and suppliers for your support and business. Together we have maintained our commitment to supply superior products and services at a competitive price with integrity while keeping everyone safe.

Travel Updates to Supplier and Client Locations

While our travel guidelines are always subject to change based on CDC and state guidelines, our employees have been cleared to resume travel for key client and service visits. Every time our employees leave our headquarters for official business, they are subject to our detailed Sales & Service Travel Protocols outlining safety expectations for overnight stays, car travel, and air travel. This is to protect the safety of our employees, and you, our valued clients and suppliers.

If you would like a visit from R-V team member, please call your R-V contact or email us at Sales@rvii.com.

Visiting Our Facilities

When necessary, we are allowing clients, suppliers, inspectors, and service personnel to visit our facilities. As part of your visit, we require advance completion of a COVID screening questionnaire, on-site temperature checks, and masks prior to entering any of our buildings or while in close proximity to others while outdoors. Hand hygiene and social distancing are also practiced throughout our facilities. This is essential to protect our employees and our guests, and ensure we remain open. At this point, we are not able to accept unplanned visitors, so be sure to schedule your visit with an R-V employee for approval before attempting to visit.

To schedule a visit please touch base with your R-V contact or email us at Sales@rvii.com. If you are planning to visit, download the COVID-19 Visitor Questionnaire Form and submit it to the R-V personnel you will be visiting.

Update Regarding Governor Wolf’s Stay-At-Home Order

Pennsylvania Governor Wolf issued a “stay-at-home” order effective tonight at 8 p.m. restricting travel for residents in seven counties (Philadelphia, Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Monroe and Montgomery). This order does not restrict your travel to and from work at R-V. We are a “Life-Sustaining Business” and exempt from this order. No special paperwork is currently required for you to travel to work. If it later becomes a requirement, we will supply one. While not traveling to and from work you are expected to comply as outlined by the Governor if you live in one of those counties. I know the constant stream of local, state, and federal facts and rumors is stressful and challenging to digest. We will continue to do our best to keep you informed of the facts and how they apply to you. Here are some updates:

• Currently R-V does not have any confirmed employee cases of COVID-19. We have instructed several employees to self-quarantine based on reported symptoms or had friends who may have been exposed to the virus. All testing has been negative. I expect we will have a team member or extended family test positive for the virus at some point. We have procedures drafted for such an occurrence, which includes quarantines, and possibly department or plant closures. Please continue to communicate any concerns or known exposure and continue to stay at home if you are feeling sick or have a fever.
• The Federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act was signed by President Trump and goes into effect April 2nd. What this means to you:
  • We will be posting the full details later this week when the government releases the posting
  • Paid COVID-19 testing.
  • Up to (80) hours of paid sick time, either at full-pay (maximum $511 daily) or two-thirds pay (maximum $200 daily) depending on the reason for your sick leave.
  • Up to (12) weeks of FMLA leave to care for your child whose school or childcare facility is closed due to COVID-19. The first (10) days will be unpaid and the balance would be paid at two-thirds pay up to a maximum daily amount of $200.

• The U.S. Senate is working on another relief bill called the CARES Act which will likely get passed this week. This will likely provide several additional benefits:
  • Direct payments of $1,200 per person ($2,400 per couple, and $500 additional per child) to anyone making below a designated income limit.
  • Business loans to help companies continue to pay employees if they are either mandated to shut down or negatively impacted by government closures provided, they do not layoff employees.
  • Enhanced unemployment options.

A special thanks to our Pandemic Committee. This group has had to support some significant business changes with limited time to interpret and implement various government directives while maintaining their general day-to-day responsibilities.

May all of you and your families stay healthy as we manage these unprecedented challenges together.

Sincerely, Kirk

A Message from Kirk Putt, R-V Industries President

Thank you all for your cooperation as we implemented a lot of changes during the past week to keep everyone safe while continuing to service our clients. Things continue to change on a daily, sometime hourly, basis but the commitment of our company has not wavered.

Pennsylvania Governor Wolf issued an order today mandating the closure of all businesses that are not considered “Life Sustaining” by midnight on March 20.

R-V Industries is considered “Life Sustaining” under the several categories and will remain open. As part of a “Life Sustaining” company allowed to remain open we must practice social distancing and other mitigation actions as defined by the CDC. The steps we implemented last week as part of our COVID-19 Action Plan 3-13-20 comply with the CDC suggestions. For your reference, the CDC recommendations are attached (see page 6).

All of us are learning to live within this new reality of health risks, non-stop media reports, chaotic financial markets, restricted social activities, children attending virtual classes, and no sports. Despite these challenges, you have continued to adapt and make a difference every day serving our clients in critical industries. This is what makes our company and our country great – the will to overcome difficult challenges. To use a boxing analogy, we continue to get off the mat when it would be much easier to lay down and listen to the referee count to ten.

We are blessed to remain open when a lot of small businesses have been forced to close and layoff their employees. The designation of “Life Sustaining” is very fitting because not only are we serving clients actively developing solutions to prevent/treat the COVID-19 virus, we are also the primary income source for hundreds of team members and your families.

Things will continue to get more challenging in our country and our company, but we will do everything in our power to keep you safe and actively employed.

A few parting suggestions: take a deep breath, exercise, enjoy the extra time with your family, and stay in the stock market. “The darkest hour is just before the dawn.” To all employees, you can always call or email me with questions. My phone number is (484)532-6030.

Thank you for your support,

Kirk

The Pennsylvania Secretary of Health has issued a letter of guidance with regard to Governor Wolf’s recommendation to temporarily close non-essential businesses in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties. Here are links for your reference:

• Governor Press Release
• Business Guidance Letter

Because we are not a business that interacts with the general public as those listed in the recommendation, we are taking the position that we will remain open and follow our current COVID-19 Action Plan.  Please take time to read the entire Action Plan below.

The global status of the coronavirus (COVID-19) is evolving daily, and R-V is taking a thoughtful, deliberate approach to the situation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the many families around the world who have been affected by this crisis. We are especially mindful of our own families for whom this issue may be a prominent worry or concern.

We have created a very thorough Pandemic Crisis Plan. This Action Plan is intended to outline key items/activities from that plan. Our team is continually monitoring news reports as well as governmental and health agencies’ communications such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to monitor COVID-19 and is actively working to ensure that the most up-to-date CDC guidance is quickly and accurately disseminated. Below are some key actions to be taken immediately. Updates will be posted on our website and distributed via Swift 911, our emergency contact system.

VISITORS

• All outside visitors should be limited until further notice (Suppliers, Customers, Employment Candidates, Family Members). All visitors must be approved in advance by a member of an Executive Management Team.
• Delivery drivers are excluded from this notice requirement but should be restricted to the loading dock areas. Shippers/Receivers will be fitted for respirators to reduce exposure from outside delivery personnel.
• Employment Candidates – Phone and video interviews are preferred.

SALES

• Customer visits
  • Limit client visits to those deemed a necessity.
  • No international travel.
• Trade Shows – We will not be exhibiting at trade shows until further notice.
• Clients will be notified we are considering the pandemic a force majeure (“Superior Force”) event, which could impact deliveries depending on the magnitude of disruption to operations. This is a requirement in most contracts when causes out of our control could affect deliveries. Clients should communicate with their R-V contact for specific details.

PURCHASING

• Evaluate possible material supply interruptions and make recommendations to VP Finance for inventory buys to minimize work impact.

MAINTENANCE

• Ensure HVAC system filters are optimized to minimize virus impact and replacements are completed per manufacturers suggestion.
• Ensure cleaning staff performs daily sanitization of all high use communal items such as door handles, bathrooms, desks, phones, stairwell handrails, etc.

PREVENTATIVE ACTIONS IN OUR FACILITIES

A concentrated focus on prevention and precautionary measures will continue to help protect our employees:

• We are purposely educating employees about best hygiene practices to help decrease the spread of any flu or virus. We have issued a tool-box talk and notices about handwashing techniques, covering one’s mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, avoiding touching one’s eyes, nose and mouth, and staying home if sick.
• We will supply sanitizing supplies as available.
• Respirators are available for shop employees as an additional precaution.

INFORMATION

We encourage you to educate yourself on the topic to avoid unnecessary anxiety. The resources listed below may be helpful in how to best understand and explain the current crisis.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) website. This site has general information and a video on the coronaviruses.
• CDC https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
• U.S. State Department website.
• Johns Hopkins Medicine, Coronavirus Disease 2019 v. the Flu

Thank you for your continued cooperation. Be assured we are focused on preventing this virus at our facilities and thoughtfully preparing for various scenarios that promote a healthy workplace.