The world’s changed…
Dear Friends,
It is shocking, if you allow yourselves to think about it, just how much our world has changed over these past few months. And, in a world where we use words like amazing, incredible, awesome, and shocking somewhat randomly, in this particular case all four of these words really and truly do apply.
And, while of course we’re all perhaps finding a few silver lings through this pandemic, it is also an objective fact that many, many people – and I count myself as one of them – are also experiencing a sort of grief. I’m grieving a bit for what we’ve lost.
These silver linings can be wonderful if we let ourselves bask in them a bit. Personally, even though I’m probably working more than before I’m also sleeping more than before. That may seem like a paradox, but it really isn’t when we do the math. No commuting time. And for those who still come in, you’re finding less traffic on the road. I’m spending less time in meetings. And, those that I do attend are definitely worthwhile, which honestly wasn’t always the case before. No going out for lunch. No driving downtown for meetings. No wasted time hanging out in airports. No time changing planes. No flight delays. You get it. So much of how many of us have historically spent our time has simply evaporated. At least for now.
So, instead of all this stuff, many of us are spending more time in front of our computers. Or, more time on Teams call. And, if we use our time well, we’re also spending more time on some of the things that we’d always fantasized about doing “if we only had the time!” And yet…. And yet.
I know that for some of you what I’ve described doesn’t really apply. Our plant operators, for example, continue to go in to work physically. And, of course, we’re grateful for that. Some of our chemists continue to go in to support our operations. And for that you’ve also got our gratitude. Others still are working at home but doing so while also trying to keep toddlers happy, or homeschool their kids, or perhaps worry about aging parents or grandparents. In other words, life is potentially harder for some of our colleagues right now. I guess my point is that we’re all having our own lived experience with this pandemic and we can’t assume that we understand how this is impacting others.
That brings me back to my point about grieving. Although we’re all dealing with this slightly differently, and although for some of us the experience is likely a little easier than for others, we’re all likely grieving what we used to have, just a little bit. That’s understandable and that’s OK. In fact, I’d be a little surprised if you weren’t. While I’m not a mental health professional, I do know enough about the topic to encourage everyone to allow yourselves to deal with this grief in your own way. And, never hesitate to seek out professional help if you need it.
As to things at Michelman, I’ll take this time to remind everyone of the following facts:
We have a clear and compelling purpose To Innovate a Sustainable Future
We’ve got important Values that govern our work and our behaviors
We have a very healthy balance sheet and considerable cash on hand
We have a fantastic leadership team (and no, I’m not talking about myself! I’m referring to my ELT colleagues Kreg, Jason, Paul, Rick, and Andrew)
We’ve also got a talented and committed team of managers and other leaders throughout the Michelman world
We’ve got a committed team of engaged and professional colleagues throughout all of Michelman
We’ve got strong Intellectual Property and fantastic products
We have a valuable and recognizable brand – The name Michelman stands for something!
We have a diversified (by region and by market) business
We have fantastic customers
And yet…. We do live in this global economy. And, as strong as we might be we are not immune to what is happening in the world. While we had a reasonably strong first quarter of the year, we cannot predict the future, so we’re preparing for business to slow down should that come to pass. If we’re really honest amongst ourselves, how could this pandemic and all the destruction that comes with it not impact us?
People are losing jobs and therefore their buying power is also declining. This will likely have an impact, among other things, on household projects like deck staining – a big business for Michelman.
People are not buying cars and appliances, so the auto and appliance companies won’t need as much glass fiber for their production – another big business for Michelman
Many, many research scientists have been furloughed, so the rate of new product development has slowed. This will have an impact on our new product launches throughout all of our industries.
On the positive side, we do know that take-away food and home cooking (along with wine and beer consumption!) is up. And, Michelman chemistry plays an important role in packaging as we know. But, even our packaging business could be challenged a bit over the months to come. Were customers perhaps stockpiling and building inventory earlier in the year?
The reality is that we cannot predict the future. We have no experience in what it takes to manage through a pandemic. Nobody does! And, as I’ve shared before, anyone who tells you that they know how this will impact us is simply making it up. But, here’s what I do know:
Michelman will continue to put our top priority on the safety and health of our associates. That is the most important thing.
Next, we will turn our focus to the health and safety of our business. We have so many people relying upon a successful Michelman. All of us, our families, our communities. A successful Michelman puts food on our tables, a roof over our heads, it pays for the local fire and police department, and our schools.
And, then we will turn towards our communities as we always do. Although things are and will be challenging for us, they will likely be more challenging for so many others. We can – as we always do – help! And, as we know, so many of our colleagues are already donating, volunteering, and lending a hand to those in need.
I remain so very grateful for all of you. This is an organization comprised of so many kind, caring, and committed people. You are, of course, talented and hard working. That goes without saying. But, more important than that, you are good people who care about one-another – and take the time to show it! You care about our company, care about our customers, and care about our communities. I’m proud to be on your team.
We pledge to continue to communicate. We will always do our best to help you to know how we’re doing, where we’re going, and what this means. For now, we’re in good shape!
Stay connected, stay productive, and stay safe!
Steve
