IBA, as the premier business brokerage firm in the Pacific Northwest, is firmly established as a respected professional service firm in the legal, accounting, banking, mergers & acquisitions, real estate, and financial planning communities. Periodically, we will post guest blogs from professionals with knowledge to share for the good of owners of privately held companies & family owned businesses. The following blog has been provided by Bill Virgin of Washington Manufacturing Alert (www.washingtonmanufacturingalert.com) supplying information on the services classified as essential in Washington state during the COVID-19 period when certain businesses were ordered to be shutdown by Governor Inslee:
Essential Services in Washington during COVID-19
Gov. Jay Inslee issued an order that requires “every Washingtonian to stay home unless they need to pursue an essential activity,” and closes all businesses not classified as “essential.”. The order was accompanied by lengthy descriptions of those businesses considered essential, including many in manufacturing:
Manufacturers, technicians, logistics and warehouse operators, and distributors of medical equipment, medical devices, diagnostics, personal protective equipment (PPE), medical gases, pharmaceuticals, blood and blood products, vaccines, testing materials, laboratory supplies, cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting or sterilization supplies, and tissue and paper towel products.
Food manufacturer employees and their supplier employees—to include those employed in food processing (packers, meat processing, cheese plants, milk plants, produce, etc.) facilities; livestock, poultry, seafood slaughter facilities; pet and animal feed processing facilities; human food facilities producing by-products for animal food; beverage production facilities; shellfish facilities including hatcheries and nurseries and growing areas; brewery and wine-making facilities; coffee production facilities; artisan food production; and the production of food packaging.
Farm workers to include those employed in animal food, feed, and ingredient production, packaging, and distribution; manufacturing, packaging, and distribution of veterinary drugs.
Workers who support the manufacture and distribution of forest products, including, but not limited to timber, paper, and other wood products.
Employees of companies engaged in the production of chemicals, medicines, vaccines, and other substances used by the food and agriculture industry, including pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, minerals, enrichments, and other agricultural production aids.
Animal agriculture workers to include those employed in veterinary health; manufacturing and distribution of animal medical materials, animal vaccines, animal drugs, feed ingredients, feed, and bedding, etc.
Employees engaged in the manufacture and maintenance of equipment and other infrastructure necessary to agricultural production and distribution.
Petroleum refinery facilities.
Processing, refining, and transporting natural liquids, including propane gas, for use as end-use fuels or feedstocks for chemical manufacturing.
Manufacturers and distributors (to include service centers and related operations) of packaging materials, pallets, crates, containers, and other supplies needed to support manufacturing, packaging staging and distribution operations.
Workers necessary for the manufacturing of materials and products needed for medical supply chains, transportation, energy, communications, food and agriculture, chemical manufacturing, nuclear facilities, the operation of dams, water and wastewater treatment, emergency services, and the defense industrial base.
Workers supporting the chemical and industrial gas supply chains, including workers at chemical manufacturing plants.
Workers supporting the production of protective cleaning and medical solutions, personal protective equipment, and packaging that prevents the contamination of food, water, medicine, among others essential products.
Workers supporting the operation and maintenance of facilities (particularly those with high risk chemicals and/ or sites that cannot be shut down) whose work cannot be done remotely and requires the presence of highly trained personnel to ensure safe operations, including plant contract workers who provide inspections.
Workers who support the production and transportation of chlorine and alkali manufacturing, single-use plastics, and packaging that prevents the contamination or supports the continued manufacture of food, water, medicine, and other essential products, including glass container manufacturing.
Those businesses allowed to stay open are still required to implement social distancing and sanitation measures that comply with federal and state standards. The order lasts until midnight April 8, but could be extended. Businesses that want to be added to the essential-business list by filling out a form at https://coronavirus.wa.gov/business-workers
If you find this content interesting or beneficial similar content can be found 25 times a year in the Washington Manufacturing Alert. Subscriptions are available for $140 per year for email delivery and $160 per year for mail, plus appropriate sales tax. Subscription information can be obtained by contacting the publication at (425) 227-4471 or editor@manufacturingalert.com.
IBA, the Pacific Northwest’s premier business brokerage firm since 1975, is available as an information resource to the media, business brokerage, mergers & acquisitions, and real estate communities on subjects relevant to the purchase & sale of privately held companies and family owned businesses. IBA is recognized as one of the best business brokerage firms in the nation based on its long track record of successfully negotiating “win-win” business sale transactions in environments of full disclosure employing “best practices”.