ENTERPRISE SPONSOR: Equipment
Federal Equipment, one of That's Nice's Road to 2021 sponsors, discusses how the company is innovating to face the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond to face the future of healthcare.
During a recent conference call, where every participant was in their own home and not in an office, one of our best clients said, “Let’s not waste a good crisis.” We were discussing the development of a training program for solid-dose manufacturing operations at one of the client’s facilities. To be sure, we were not discussing anything at all related to the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. That thought hung there longer than it would under “normal” circumstances. But now, our daily lives supply a different, continuous background noise to our work and every conference call, web-meeting, and conversation. We constantly ask the questions: Is this how we will continue to work? When will this end? At that moment, in this conference call, we all had the chance to briefly consider a different view. Could this crisis be an opportunity to innovate?
Thinking about the opportunity to innovate in the middle of a global pandemic feels odd and uncomfortable right now. This virus and disease has taken lives, stressed healthcare systems beyond their maximum capacity, displaced countless people from their jobs, and damaged economies. People are stressed, alone, hurt, and angry. But we must continue to consider innovation, not only as it relates to this crisis, but how we can improve so that we can avoid or lessen the severity of any similar crisis.
At Federal Equipment Company, we considered different potential disasters for our business several years ago and how we could continue to operate in a crisis. We developed systems and operations that we could manage 100% remotely, if necessary. To be honest, we were considering something much more tangible at the time, like fires or floods. We were able to quickly and smoothly shift business operations to work remotely. We continue to deliver equipment needed by our customers for ongoing pharmaceutical and chemical supply operations. We support their innovation by suppling equipment needed to manufacture the components of virus test kits, equipment used to package products in huge demand, and equipment used to develop new ways to produce personal protective equipment (PPE).
At Federal Equipment Company, we considered different potential disasters for our business several years ago and how we could continue to operate in a crisis.
Behind the desk of Federal Equipment Company’s Chairman, Michael Kadis, there is a short list of business rules in a picture frame. One of them reads, “A good manager creates opportunity from adversity.” This mindset — creating innovation and opportunity out of adversity, is part of who we are at Federal Equipment Company.
