CEO Tino Gournambassis reflects on a year that, due to the ongoing pandemic, turned out differently than anyone at KL Industri had anticipated. While the company held strong during the spring – faring even better than many in the industry – the crisis began to take its toll just before summer and continued into autumn.
“Our order intake declined, forcing us to reduce the number of temporary employees and agency staff, as well as adjust shift schedules. Currently, we are utilizing various levels of short-term furloughs, and employees who can work remotely have been given the opportunity to do so. The pandemic has also caused logistical challenges and impacted our supply chain,” says Tino.
Despite the challenges of the global situation, Tino sees many positives when looking back on the year.
“When faced with external threats and adversity, people come together in a remarkable way. It’s during times like these that innovative solutions emerge – whether in adapting meetings or finding ways to handle situations that once seemed impossible. Our staff has been incredibly flexible and supportive, especially when absenteeism was high due to illness or parental leave. I believe we have navigated the situation exceptionally well and maintained strong performance despite the circumstances.”
While the annual Christmas dinner for employees had to be canceled due to restrictions, KL Industri’s leadership still wanted to show their appreciation by giving employees a special holiday gift.
“Everyone understands the challenges ahead. We must all continue to be cautious, and if the vaccination rollout goes as planned, we hope to put this turbulent year behind us and recover quickly. We wish our employees a well-deserved holiday and send our warmest Christmas and New Year greetings to all our customers,” concludes Tino.