Product supply unaffected by Italian coronavirus lockdown

ITALY: The production and transport of goods from air conditioning and refrigeration equipment manufacturers in northern Italy will be unaffected by measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Restrictive measures announced yesterday by the Italian government includes restricting people from moving in and out of the Lombardy region and provinces of Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, Pesaro and Urbino, Alessandria, Asti, Novara, Verbano-Cusio- Ossola, Vercelli, Padua, Treviso and Venice. The areas affected comprise Italy’s main industrial hub and is home to a number of significant refrigeration and air conditioning equipment and component manufacturers.

With museums, cinemas, shopping malls, sporting events and even restaurants all hit by the new restrictions, residents were told to avoid moving into and out of the affected territories, “except for those for work or health reasons”. 

Despite initial concerns that this could affect product supply, an explanatory note issued by Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that the transport of goods is considered a work requirement, meaning that goods can enter and leave the territories concerned. More specifically, it says that the personnel who manage the means of transport can enter and leave the territories concerned and move within them, limited to delivery needs or picking up the goods.

In addition, so-called “cross-border” workers are allowed to enter and leave the affected areas to reach their place of work and return home.

Controls manufacturer Carel, which has factories in both Padua and Milan and its HQ in Brugine, has already put in place a number of measures to prevent the spread of the virus. 

In addition to a ban on its employees travelling abroad, other measures already in place limit both employee commuting and the number of employees inside the workplace. This has mainly been implemented through allowing office staff to work from home for two days a week.