Manufacturing

U.S. manufacturing activity eased off an 11-year low in May, the strongest sign yet that the worst of the economic downturn was behind as businesses reopen, though the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis could take years because of high unemployment.

Helicopter and jet makers are turning to digital technology so customers can inspect their big-ticket purchases remotely before taking delivery, as they strive to push through deals paralyzed by the coronavirus pandemic and bring in much needed cash.

Technology was already pushing mass markets and production to become more personalized and distributed, and the novel coronavirus is accelerating the shift.

The coronavirus is “a wake-up call for pretty much every company,“ said Gerry Mattios, expert vice president at Bain. “The number one item on the agenda is, ‘how do I build resilience in my supply chain?’” “China is still a very attractive total supply chain solution,” said How Jit Lim, a managing director with consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal. “There are very few countries in the world where you can find almost everything you need to build something.”
Exports are still important for China’s economy, which contracted by 6.8% in the first quarter amid the height of the coronavirus outbreak within the country.

Herman Miller, Inc. (NASDAQ: MLHR), the global designer and furniture manufacturer, announced today a set of actions throughout its global operations in response to the uncertain economic outlook resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Xerox Holdings Corporation (NYSE: XRX) is leveraging its manufacturing capabilities and in-house materials expertise to produce approximately 140,000 gallons of hand sanitizer by June 2020, an initiative focused on helping to save lives during the current global health crisis.

With public health concerns over the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19 disease, also known as Coronavirus, Xerox is providing the following guidance to customers on how to effectively clean Xerox devices and maintain a healthy work environment.

When school officials in Washoe County, Nevada, the home of the city of Reno, made the decision to move to remote learning on March 25, the initial plan was for most students to print lesson packets that were posted online. The school district also printed a small number of paper copies and made them available at local community centers. Within hours, all the copies were gone.

Xerox Holdings Corporation (NYSE: XRX) and Vortran Medical Technology are teaming up to speed and scale production of Vortran’s GO2Vent ventilator and related Airway Pressure Monitor (APM-Plus) for hospitals and emergency response units fighting the battle against COVID-19.

Letter from Whirlpool CEO Marc Bitzer to employees and customers regarding company and donations during coronavirus.