The COVID pandemic “caught” everyone by surprise. Where has it placed you and what were your plans at the time the pandemic broke out?
Confezioni Andrea is a multinational group in the automotive sphere, namely manufacturing disposable outer covers for the most famous vehicle brands in Europe. In May, we registered the company, and in July, we already hired the first 50 persons and started manufacturing vehicle covers. Since then, we employed over 900 persons. Our investors decided to concentrate their production in Soroca. It was an enterprise in Romania that was part of an Italian group, but the Italian investor decided to refuse from the manufacturing unit in the neighboring country and concentrate all the manufacturing in Soroca. For this year, we aimed to increase manufacturing capacity and increase the number of employees to about 1200. For 2020, an increase in manufacturing by 30-35% was planned. I started very, very optimistic and had high hopes.
What were the first decisions made by the company’s management?
I had no time to feel stressed! I had to solve everything quickly to survive and keep the team. The key to success here was the speed of re-purposing. At times, everyone complained that they were tired of staying at home, but we were overworked because of the fast working rhythm.
The first decision coordinated with the investor was a two-week paid leave. The main objective was to do everything possible to keep the entire team. Moldova is the only manufacturer and supplier; therefore, keeping the entire production process intact was a strategic mission. For this reason, we decided to suspend the company’s activity not to subject it to any risks. At the same time, The Moldovan Investment Agency, together with the The Moldovan Investment Agency and representatives of GIZ Moldova, to whom I am very grateful for all the support in the process of keeping the business and the team afloat, came up with the idea to re-purpose our manufacturing.
Immediately, in a small circle, we started working intensely on preparing all the permissive documents and testing possible models of new protection products. For example, we manufactured several units to test manufacturing quality and the degree of adaptation of the entire manufacturing process.
How quickly did you manage to shift from manufacturing disposable vehicles covers to disposable overalls, gowns, and masks?
Retraining took less than two weeks, while most employees stayed at home on vacation. On March 18, we did not even consider re-purposing to medical protection products, and by the end of the month, we had already manufactured the first batch of 200 overalls. During this limited period of time, we established the entire manufacturing process, from cutting the materials to sewing and packaging.
Later, to keep everyone safe at work, I offered everyone disposable protective kits, masks, and gloves. We had a minibus where, according to the rules, we had only half of the available seats, so we practically showed each person their seats to keep social distance and teach people how to protect themselves effectively. We even rearranged the manufacturing premises to keep maximum distance.
Anyway, during all the discussions and meetings I have with them at the factory, I never get tired of telling them that I have to strictly follow the COVID prevention and safety rules. Because of one person, the entire enterprise in Soroca and not only can suffer. You may not want to think about yourself or your family, but you need to think about the team. Because of one person, about a thousand people and their families will have to suffer.
What are your plans for the following months? Has this pandemic given you any opportunities for development?
I believe that after the pandemic (here, our opinions coincide with those of the Italian investors), we will have a second trend in manufacturing – making medical protective products, especially overalls and gowns. In the end, it certainly depends on the demand, but we are ready to keep developing this direction. I believe that a certain percentage will be allocated to the company’s medical products, in addition to its basic direction.
If we compare our fate with that of the other companies in the Republic of Moldova, I can tell you that we have taken advantage of a rapid re-launch and even development. There are many companies that have ceased their activity, and their staff has to stay at home without work. Many of them are in a critical situation.
For example, based on the fact that the level of production is constantly growing, we have started hiring more staff. We hire people temporarily for the time of implementation of our medical products.
We apply new technologies, such as ultrasonic welding of PPE, a procedure that allows offering our products a greater degree of protection, as they are practically waterproof.
The investments will continue this year, especially in new equipment, to expand our manufacturing. We intend to open new production lines. We are now waiting for the re-launch of the automotive industry in Europe. A return to the normal state of things is already being felt, especially in Germany, which has come very close to the indices it had at the end of the last year.
What would you personally like to wish to everyone and the company for the next period of time?
I would like to wish everyone health, especially to my team and all the people outside it. It is difficult to work in such conditions. I would like to wish the team to stay as friendly and united as ever, and even to grow and get some new colleagues. For a united team, where everyone knows their goal, any objectives are achievable.
The series of interviews "Foreign investors vs. COVID-19" are part of the gratitude campaign addressed to all foreign investors in the Republic of Moldova who during the pandemic demonstrated a high sense of social responsibility, an example model of employee care and proactivity in reconceptualizing the business . Campaign launched by The Moldovan Investment Agency with the support of the ‘Economic Policy Advice to the Moldovan Government’ project, implemented by GIZ Moldova with the financial support of the German and Swiss Governments.