Seprod production going at full tilt – CEO

Source: Jamaica Observer

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Group Chief Executive Officer at the Seprod Group, Richard Pandohie confirmed today that the many entities of his organisation are producing at full tilt despite the many challenges occasioned by COVID-19.

“Yes, we are still running our dairy farms and factories producing milk, our many juices, oil, margarine, flour, cornmeal and the many other products we produce for the local and export market.

“With the exception of the biscuit factory, we have not eased our production outputs, as we at Seprod are determined to ensure that the food supply chain for Jamaica is not compromised and we also want to protect and grow our export markets.”

“In doing so, we are fully aware of the various restrictions put in place by the Government in the national curfew and the lockdown of St Catherine. As a result, there is strict adherence by all our companies to the guidelines and in fact, we have had to go above and beyond the guidelines to provide a safe environment for our employees and ultimately their families” Pandohie who is also president of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association told OBSERVER ONLINE.

As to staff members working at home, Pandohie was very clear in his assessment.

“When we started, in January to make plans for the majority of especially our administrative staff members to work at home, there were some initial hitches but these were quickly dealt with and now it is going fairly well for us, as team-members become more mentally attuned to being productive working remotely.”

“It is different for us, especially being a manufacturer, to have many of our support staff members now completely locked in to the reality of working at home; but truthfully, I can see this being our new reality even post-COVID.”

“Our farms and production workers have to physically be at work, and we have instituted creative measures to deal with the curfew hours and those affected by the lockdown in St Catherine. Most employees are now being transported to and from work, we have also had to change shifts operating times and have stepped up our commissaries operations to allow our staff to access their groceries on site, and thus minimize their need to get into spaces where social distancing is not being adhered to.”

“So for us at Seprod, it is all systems go,” the CEO said.

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