In these days of confinement we have all stopped seeing loved ones, family members and friends and in our case we also miss our suppliers a lot with whom we share so much at work and, on many occasions, outside of it.
COVID-19 has put us all in check and of course them too. The slowdown in the events and live shows industry has meant that during these days we see many companies that, accepting the challenge that the pandemic has put on the table, have not only not stopped, but reinvented themselves. Using their technology, their ingenuity or what they have had at hand, they have decided to contribute within their possibilities to curb the spread of the virus and to help the most vulnerable groups at this time.
It is very rewarding and moving to note that our industry has been so mobilized and have seen numerous examples of it worldwide. Since large groups of companies dedicated to the live industry such as LiveForLife (Live-event Industry COVID-19 Coalition) in the US that have been putting their experience and work teams at the service of the sanitary system to help in whatever is necessary; even production companies like the French S-Group that has decided to enhance its 3D printing capacity to help produce protective visors for front line workers.
But we don’t have to go very far to find cases of supportive companies that are helping during this pandemic. Some of of the suppliers that we usually work with are helping a lot and apart from teleworking or taking turns, taking into account the individual protection norms that have been settled and desinfecting the installations; some of them have been able to start some special iniciatives that we want to share with you, and as mentioned above, sharing is caring.
Among these actions we find initiatives like FP COMMUNICATIONS’, provider of radiocommunications, which on the one hand, has been providing free walkies for the ICUs of the Can Ruti Hospital in Badalona and on the other, they will soon have (95%) BFE safety masks of triple layer available for sale and other protection products of the Hytera brand of which they are distributors for Europe. Hytera has modified part of its radio communication material factories to produce this type of material so vital right now.
Servis FX material supplier for special effects in concerts, has facilitated to Maresme (Consell Comarcal) populations, a foam and snow machine that has undergone the pertinent modifications so that it is used as a disinfectant.
CLEM, electric vehicles and machinery provider, is helping indirectly keeping its services active for all the companies that need machinery, and directly by helping the San Isidro health center and the UCA (Unidad de Conductas Adictivas) providing with all the medical gowns, gloves and masks that they had in stock.
Clima Events that usually takes care of air conditioning and setting services for events have, in these circumstances, shared that they are also helping with their air conditioning machines for hospitals across the country.
We have also seen that Rombull Ronets S.L supplier of products for the industrial sector, collaborates with donations of materials such as rubber elastic to civil protection from Elche and to different companies so that they can continue manufacturing protective masks for front line workers.
The provider of water fountains bottle, Aquaservice has gone a little further and apart from offering free water for patients affected by COVID-19, has created the project ‘Water solidarity ’to donate water to hospitals, health centers and residences taking advantage of its distribution network.
Bugaderia Buenos Aires, laundry and towel supplier, which despite being seriously affected by lack of concerts and other services in hotels, hospitality, etc. is committed to remaining active so that patients in clinics and residences continue to have their personal clothing clean as it was a new problem for some of them because they cannot receive visits from relatives.
To finish, not only do we have cases of suppliers that have taken action like the previous ones, but we also have those who are preparing for the future. Because yes friends, there will be a future!
Some of them are renovating materials, flightcases, equipment; putting order in their warehouses, etc. Others are working on new proposals for products and services trying to adapt to the “new normal” of the sector. Many are rethinking the turn towards the digital world and are updating their online platforms. But we also see that there are those who are working hard to carry sustainability in the future, which as you know, we love!
From LD Eventos we applaud all these initiatives and the ones to come, and we also applaud those who have no choice but to wait and are resisting like warriors. We encourage everyone to remain active and resilient because we will get out of it and we are sure that #VolveremosMejores.
By Carla Bayo