Last Updated: March 24

On March 23, VT Governor Phil Scott ordered all Vermonters to stay home. For the time being, our Sawmill in South Royalton, VT will remain open.

Why?

First, the sawmill supplies lumber needed to fill Department of Defense Contracts with Military Bases.

And Second, the agricultural community depends on our sawdust which is used for cow bedding and other livestock. Under the Governors order, companies that are supplying either of these customers are being given waivers from the shelter in place mandate.

Furthermore, we have many employees in Lisbon, NH who reside in Vermont, and they are allowed to continue employment, for now.

For more information read: U.S. Federal Government Designates Wood Products Industry as ’Essential’

Friday March 20

The Covid-19 virus is affecting all aspects of our lives and poses great health risks to everyone.

In response to this public health emergency, our highest priority is the health of our nearly 200 employees who are spread out across five states.

Therefore, we’re following the guidance of global health experts at the World Health Organization (WHO) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on preventing the spread of the virus. 

Currently almost all our front office personnel are working from home. 

At the same time, all of our manufacturing hubs are open and operational. And because we manufacture furniture, many of our personnel still come to work to operate the machinery.  

We have put measures in place to mitigate the risks of infection. 

We are asking sick employees to stay home. We’re reminding our employees to wash hands frequently and we are evaluating all our work areas and redesigning workflows to maintain a minimum 6 feet of social distancing.

We are regularly cleaning and disinfecting our facilities and equipment and have a designated team working around the clock to wipe down everything every day.

We are also providing guidance to our employees, based on CDC guidelines, on how to prevent the spread of infection. This includes:

  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
  • Stay home if you are sick, unless you seek medical care.
  • Cleaning your hands often. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Cover coughs and sneezes.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

And as with many cities and towns in the U.S., our schools are cancelled and our employees need to care for their children at home. To this end, we are working with everyone to create flexible schedules that account for this new reality.

This is a fluid and evolving situation. We expect at some point there will be a disruption to our normal flow of business, and we promise to respond in the most responsible way we can, and to keep you informed.

– Henry Kober, David Kober, Amos Kober

DCI Owners