“We are living through difficult days, both from the human and work-related point of view. Faced with a situation that is this serious and unexpected, a powerful but invisible enemy like the one we’re fighting, we have to call upon our sense of responsibility and awareness of who we are, our DNA and our history. There will be difficult days but I’m sure that with the contribution of everyone, we’ll be able to make it through.”
 
This is what Matteo Moretti, president of Lumson wrote in a heartfelt letter to his staff a few days ago. The company that, from the very beginning of the emergency, had adopted all possible measures to prevent the spread of the virus: the use of PPE, sanitization of the workplace, temperature checks, reorganization of shifts and non-essential departments to guarantee the maintenance of safe distances, the use of “smart working” (working from home), and videoconferences. It also supplied all members of staff with guidelines on behaviors to limit spread which were based on those outlined by the Minister of Health and in recent days, has increased safety for workers by activating extra insurance coverage and arranging for the arrival of 40,000 new, high-protection masks. In addition, as a precaution, Lumson closed their location in Ticengo due to its proximity to the “red zone” despite there not being any cases reported there. Safety comes first.
 
Without any fanfare, but with a strong sense of determination, Lumson donated 2,000 protective suits to Crema’s main hospital (Ospedale Maggiore di Crema) and supplied masks and medical scrubs to civil protection services. Lumson provided packaging options that met regulations and instructions given by the World Health Organization (WHO) to hand-sanitizing gel manufacturers so they could produce and distribute sanitizing gels to doctors, nurses and healthcare workers.
 
“The Decree announced on March 22nd put a stop to traditional manufacturing and since March 25th, only production lines dedicated to gel sanitizers have been operative. We’ve repurposed some of our manufacturing processes in order to try and meet the growing demand for this type of bottle. To continue to manufacture was a choice made based on a desire to give back, as much as possible, to those who put their lives at risk each and every day to fight in this emergency (doctors, nurses, the police force…) and it was a way to protect hundreds of jobs. The role of a business, in fact, is to take initiative to support the area in which it is based. I chose not to stop and I’m grateful to those that believe in this choice,” commented Matteo Moretti. 
 
Speaking about the future, Moretti said: “It’s unknown. No one knows what will happen after this tsunami passes and how buying habits will change. One thing is certain: this crisis (which is a global crisis, not only one in Lombardy) will bring about changes both in preventative behaviors and in the way in which products are chosen and some of these precautions will become standard protocol in the future. Many companies are already moving in this direction and are preparing post-Covid19 scenarios. Difficult days await, we have to be ready. The ‘Cura Italia’ Decree certainly has some positive aspects but they are not enough to solve a large part of the problems that our businesses are experiencing.”