Plastics gets its own back

Guaranteed and sustainable productivity, even in smartworking

Paola Centonze, Marketing & Communication Manager ITP - Industria Termoplastica Pavese (Bosnasco, PV), manufacturer of flexible packaging

Converter of flexible packaging intended mainly for the food sector, ITP has never stopped the plants because, according to Ateco codes, it was immediately included among the essential activities.

«We have therefore not activated social safety nets, but - explains Paola Centonze - we have subscribed to an additional health policy and rewarded out employees in recognition of their commitment.

From the management point of view, then, the streamlining of the bureaucratic rules regarding smartworking has shown that, without major impedences and obstacles at regulatory level, companies are able to adapt quickly and successfully to changing needs. Even those who resorted to smartworking immediately demonstrated their ability to adapt to new ways of working and communicating. And they did it with a sense of responsibility. The benefits, in this sense, exist both for the company and for the workers, but I would also add for the environment, thanks to the reduction of travel: so I don't see why we should deprive ourselves of an instrument that is now in step with the times ... provided that the State is not anxious to over-regulate it, curtailing  the benefit, but rather incentivating it».

In addition to having complied with the national anti-Covid prevention protocols, ITP has provided for the daily sanitization of the work environments, has redeveloped meeting rooms transforming them into additional refreshment areas/workstations and has established a direct line with medical specialists listening and support.

Centonze also states: «Given that the supply chain has guaranteed operational continuity, even our initial fears about possible difficulties in procuring materials and transport immediately vanished. This is demonstrated by the fact that, especially at the beginning of the emergency, we have faced many requests, which fortunately we managed to fulfil in a very short time. Then when the prolongation of the state of confinement forced us to eat meals at home, and the home delivery service became increasingly popular, the purchase of food (packaged, of course) became a priority. And as never before, consumers have understood the importance of hygiene and the value of food safety guaranteed by packaging.

«If therefore, we can imagine a "positive" impact of the health emergency on the business - adds Centonze - we must however take into account the costs of the extraordinary measures put in place by the companies ... We will see how and if they will weigh on the budget. At the same time, the impossibility of completing development projects with customers has oriented our efforts on production and immediate delivery, aiming for maximum efficiency. In this we have been facilitated by the investments made previously: the diversification of the offer that we have put in place since the 1980s, investments in R&D and technologies have proved successful choices. The same can be said about the growth of some figures, such as the Protection and Prevention Service Head and the KPO, who proved to be of extraordinary support during the emergency».