LEED ® Gold-certified Lubin Building, East Greenville, Pennsylvania
Knoll, Inc. announced Friday that effective at midnight the Company is temporarily suspending production of certain workplace products at its East Greenville, Pennsylvania manufacturing site. This action complies with the March 19 executive order of the Governor of Pennsylvania to shut down non-life sustaining government offices and businesses to halt the spread of COVID-19.
On Monday (March 23rd), Knoll announced that based on the Italian government’s March 21 decision to shut all nonessential factories to attempt to halt the coronavirus outbreak, Knoll has suspended production at its two factories in Italy, which, as previously reported on March 9 and March 20, produce office and KnollStudio product to be sold primarily into the European market.
The East Greenville site employs approximately 350 hourly associates. The Company’s warehouse and distribution centers, including KnollTextiles, are not impacted by the Governor’s order; increased health and safety measures will be in place at these locations, including temperature checks.
The Company said that it is working to seek a waiver to the production halt as it provides workplace products to the United States government and healthcare organizations.
Andrew Cogan, Knoll Chairman, and CEO, stated: “We are committed to the health and safety of our associates and protecting their families and the community, and look forward to working with government leaders to reopen our East Greenville site as soon as possible.”
“At the same time, our customer service teams are working closely with our clients on contingency plans as we also work with suppliers and distribution partners to assess the impact of this situation to our business,” he added.
Knoll manufacturing and distribution facilities in Toronto, Canada; Buffalo, NY, and Michigan are currently operational with care to keeping employees safe; these facilities are manufacturing open plan office systems, height-adjustable tables, conference tables, and other ancillary furniture. The Company’s Italian sites are scheduled to be closed from April 1- 13 as a precautionary measure, consistent with other plant closures in the area.
The Company noted that:
Ready-to-ship workplace and residential furniture, textiles, leathers, felt and accessories from the Company’s constellation of brands, including Muuto, Fully, KnollTextiles, Spinneybeck | FilzFelt and Edelman Leather, are available for purchase; the assortment includes products for a healthy home workplace.
Its sales associates and distribution partners, including Knoll workplace dealers, are meeting with clients via video, web and audio conferencing, continuing to bring an innovative mindset to develop plans for workplace and residential projects.
Customer service operations continue to be staffed by associates working remotely from home to ensure that project needs are being assessed.
“Looking beyond this crisis, we expect that the time away from the workplace will only make people appreciate even more the benefits of the social interaction that the workplace provides, and we look forward to working with clients to plan inspiring spaces,” Cogan added.