03/25/2020
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
To all of our clients, we wish you well during this time of uncertainty, confusion and fear. Fear of the unknown, am I next, will one of my family members get this virus? All the questions that perhaps are going through your mind, are also going through the minds of every person in America today. Let’s face it, this will indeed change our way of doing things for some time to come.
Last Friday, I called a meeting at both of our Michigan locations, Reed City and Mecosta. During those meetings I went over what the protocol would be if in fact our Governor called for a lockdown of our State. I answered many questions as well as gave advice. Each associate handled it very well however, they all had their concerns, as they should. Sunday March 22nd, I had two of our associates meet me in Reed City to begin closing the wet processing room as well as our drying rooms. On Monday March 23rd the Governor addressed the State of Michigan and announced that indeed on Tuesday March 24 at 12:01am the State of Michigan will go on lockdown due to the COVID-19 virus. Because of our awareness and readiness that this could become a reality, Monday went very smoothly.
In the mandate it reads, any non-essential business will be affected by this. Well, our tannery is deemed, non-essential. However, there is language in there that reads, any business that has “perishable” inventory can operate with minimal work staff long enough to finish out the process. The language can be interpreted many ways I suppose, however, it is of my opinion as well as that of our legal partners that, this is a very grey area and could in fact backfire on our business and cause us much legal stress if it was deemed questionable work practices. Meaning, working during this lockdown as a non-essential business.
With all of this, I have gotten very little sleep these past few days. Many questions have run through my mind. Should I or should I not bring in a few shavers to shave all the drums and mills as well as the many vats we have at our facility? All the skins that are in the wet process will be completely fine. The pickles are stable and will be okay in this suspended environment for as long as it takes. I have been here each day since the lockdown to ensure our clients skins will not be compromised in any way.
The other question I asked myself was; what if I do in fact bring in a few shavers and just one of those shavers had been infected and not yet having or showing any of the symptoms of the COVID-19 virus and now that associate infected the other associates and they bring it home to their family?
This morning at 3:49am, I answered those questions. WE WILL REMAIN CLOSED. The well-being of our associates and their families is of the upmost importance to me. I would feel horrible if something should happen to any one of them and I do not want that on my conscience, period.
As it looks right now, we should be able to re-open on April 13, 2020. At that point, you can be assured we will be doing all that we can to get you your product in the timeliest fashion possible.
Until then; be safe and God bless!
Mark Marlette
President/CEO
H&H Fur Dressing, Inc.
[email protected]
