April 29, 2020

In order to help chemical distributors, several NACD affiliates have opened up access to their digital platforms to support the industry and the efforts against the pandemic.

The NACD blog reports that Echosystem, a NACD Service Provider Affiliate, opened up their Visibility And Procurement Platform to ensure distributors can still buy and sell chemical products needed for COVID-19 relief and support efforts. 

Additionally, Chemformation, another NACD Service Provider Affiliate, launched a no-charge trial of their online platform. This platform allows users to search for chemical ingredients that are needed to address the coronavirus pandemic. 

NACD also encouraged other chemical distributors to “leverage these (digital) systems to support their communities and at the same time help keep their businesses operating as normally as possible.”

Additionally, many NACD members are also using their facilities to manufacture vital hand sanitizer and soap, and provide more measures of relief to workers on the frontlines of the pandemic.

Some of the innovative ways NACD members are supporting their communities and their employees:

• An Ohio member – is exploring ways to leverage their onsite chemical blending tanks to make soaps and other materials government and health agencies may need to combat the coronavirus. 
• A member company in California – turned their conference room into a daycare, so employees could bring their children to work during the unprecedented wave of school closures.
• Several members – are working with local hospitals and first responders to supply donations of hand sanitizer and soap.
• A Chemical Handler Affiliate – is delivering food to local restaurant employees and members of the community.  
• An Affiliate Chemical Producer – donated large quantities of hydrogen peroxide to multiple governments and healthcare systems around the world. Hydrogen peroxide is effective in deactivating rhinovirus, the virus that causes the common cold, within 6-8 minutes of exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

In March, at the beginning of the pandemic, Eric R. Byer, National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) President and CEO, sent a letter to President Trump and all 50 governors, urging the government officials to keep chemical distributor businesses open during the lockdowns and quarantines:

“Chemical distributors play a vital role in the U.S. economy, delivering products to more than 750,000 customers across the country. Many of these customers are in industries critical to public health, such as food, personal care, pharmaceuticals, soaps and detergents, water treatment, and more…

“As cities and states across the nation respond to the COVID-19 crisis, it is imperative that chemical distributors are allowed to continue their important work to support their communities by delivering valuable products that keep the U.S. economy functioning and can help mitigate the worst impacts of this coronavirus.”  – Eric R. Byer

Currently, chemical distribution is considered an essential industry that will remain open during closures, according to the Department of Homeland Security: Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, under the Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce: Ensuring Community and National Resilience in the COVID-19 Response.

It’s why Coast Southwest and other companies have remained open during the outbreak in order to maintain the flow of materials that’s necessary for many vital industries.

Now, more than ever, chemical distributors are critical to maintaining the health and safety of U.S. citizens. Thanks to the tireless work and innovation of NACD members, frontline workers and others all over the country are receiving life-saving donations of soap, hand sanitizer, and chemicals. In addition, NACD members are using their resources to support vulnerable populations, their own employees, and provide for their local communities.

If the COVID-19 pandemic has proven anything, it’s that chemicals are absolutely critical to the safe functioning of society.  And so are the people behind responsible distribution of those products.  Coast Southwest is proud to be a longstanding member of NACD and applauds the efforts of our fellow members in the battle to beat coronavirus.