PPB July 2020

Some Heroes Wear Branded Capes C OVID-19 has affected our entire Canadian industry, from legislated closures to laid-off staff and even some businesses closing their doors for good. Times have been tough, but the light at the end of the tunnel is starting to shine. Businesses are reopening, staff levels are increasing and many members are working hard to manufacture personal protective equipment. Things are finally starting to look up. Many PPPC member companies have been hard at work doing their part during the pandemic. We reached out to three prominent Canadian companies that pivoted their organizations’ goals, funds and staff throughout the past weeks and months. Keep reading to learn about how ArtechPro, Big K Clothing and Attraction, Inc. have been coping with and making the most out of the pandemic. Thank you to these Canadian companies for sharing their personal perspectives with us. Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec “Staying Healthy is Everybody’s Business.” This was the title of the email sent to our distributors, launching our new visor, an item we would never have previously thought of producing. ArtechPro has always been known to take good care of its distributors; this global pandemic moved us to take our reputation to a whole new level. As a team, we needed to become more innovative. We used our time, talents and strengths to find ways to produce new items never considered before. This would allow the distributor to offer exactly what the market needed, when it needed it most. As a team, we had to evolve and adjust our ways of communicating, both internally and with our customers. Working from home or remotely, videoconferencing, changes in work/family balance—these are all part of our “new normal.” Reacting to this swift change, we have increased the frequency of our email blasts and added downloadable, ready-to-use versions for end users and social media for our distributors. As a team, we are strongly united. Last March, I had to lay more people off than I have had to in all my 25 years combined at ArtechPro. Just a couple of months later, thanks to the strength of our teammembers and the loyalty and support of our distributors, I’m happy to say the majority of our employees are back to work full time. As a team, we will reinvent the future. It is during the most difficult times that the strongest bonds are created. Looking at the synergy between what we have experienced and how our industry is evolving, I know we will accomplish great things, rain or shine. Vancouver, British Columbia Big K has been a leader in the industry for many years. Big K has been serving the industry since 1967 and is family- owned and operated. We are proud to be contributing to the relief of COVID-19 front-line workers, families and friends. Since COVID-19 hit, we have been manufacturing and importing masks and other items to do our part. We had several customers complaining about the shortage of masks and requesting for us to deliver. PPPC COMMUNIQUÉ by Jonathan Strauss Luis Molinero / Shutterstock.com 80 | JULY 2020 |