China put lockdown measures into effect to curb the spread of the coronavirus at the end of January while Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) was underway. This is a time when people travel to join their families to celebrate this important holiday. “Restrictions came into play in the middle of Chinese New Year, catching everyone by surprise, Initially, it was a very uncertain time,” explains David Wang, President Bühler Group Asia. “The entire Bühler team of over 3,000 people was spread across different locations with their families. But they quickly adapted and learned to work within the new conditions. We received a lot of support.”
Though many businesses in China found it difficult to resume production amid the Covid-19 outbreak, Bühler’s offices in China – like many multinational enterprises – were able to resume part of the production thanks to the strong support of the parent company along with a clear plan of action. “Within a very short time, we formed remote teams to keep our businesses going,” said Connie He, Human Resources Director, Bühler China. “When we received supplies from Uzwil for the safety of our teams, the first groups were able to resume production work. The support from the headquarters fully demonstrates the strength of unity at Bühler.”