90% production capacity achieved with stringent Covid-19 rules

RPI UK has announced production capacity has bounced back to 90% since reopening after the coronavirus lockdown.

The Bath-based company has continued to take in orders since the lockdown began, with the order book now full until September 2020. The company aims to be at 100% production by the end of June.

RPI are a leading specialist developer and manufacturer of precision positioning devices for high accuracy rotary and angular inspection systems.

The company credits the successful resumption of its operations to its employees getting behind its stringent health and safety measures.

Peter Marchbank, RPI managing director, said: “Our employees are our biggest asset and their safety has always been our number one priority. We closed our operations until we were confident we could put measures in place to protect our employees, and by association, their families and the wider community.”

During the factory’s lockdown Mr Marchbank phoned each of his employees once a week.

He continued: “Keeping in regular contact helped build employee confidence that RPI was doing everything it could to ensure a safe working environment, so that when the time was right to reopen, employees felt reassured and were onboard.”

RPI has adopted all the safety guidelines recommended by the government, including carrying out a comprehensive Covid-19 health and safety risk assessment.

RPI’s safe work practices include strictly observing guidelines on 2m social distancing, avoiding physical contact, frequent hand washing, additional cleaning and sanitising regimes for tools, machines and controls and work surfaces – especially at the beginning and end of every break, when everyone arrives at work and before they leave.

In order to help social distancing, RPI has asked employees who can work from home to do so. Employees who live with vulnerable people are self-isolating, as is any employee vulnerable themselves.

Employees have also been advised to inform RPI immediately if they, or any of their immediate family, are ill or have been diagnosed with the Covid-19 virus, so appropriate action can be taken.

Over the last three years RPI’s turnover has doubled and the company has invested heavily in staff and equipment. Looking to the future, RPI is in the process of a large scale updating of its factory, having invested £500,000 in the past two years.

RPI www.rpiuk.com