Simmons Pet Food’s local leadership says the company is going above and beyond to protect its employees and the pet food supply at the same time.
In an exclusive interview during KVOE’s Newsmaker 2 segment Tuesday, Senior Director of Operations Brian Potter said the Emporia facility is meeting and exceeding guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including temperature checks, face coverings throughout the plant, social distance markings, expanded breakrooms and a doubling to tripling of the cleaning and sanitation of commons areas and restrooms. Simmons has also expanded emergency leave options, provided vacation rollover into next year with an option of converting that into pay and installed a $600 appreciation bonus.
Potter says the adjustments started early as the pandemic came to Emporia, calling the company’s stance “strong from the beginning.”
Simmons is listed as an essential business, meaning the federal government has asked it to stay open during the pandemic. It now has over 1,000 employees at the Emporia campus.
Lyon County Public Health has listed Simmons with 15 confirmed, probable and recovering patients since the pandemic started. Potter says most of those cases were sent home before they could get other workers ill.
Production levels have held steady to meet the ongoing demand. Potter says Emporia has been a good home for the company.
Simmons has done its best to be a good community partner, including the purchase of meals for Emporia Fire, Emporia Police and Newman Regional Health and ongoing support of scholarships at Flint Hills Technical College.
