MOUNT VERNON – Ariel Corp., Mount Vernon’s largest employer, faced two key challenges at the onset of the pandemic: maintaining production of its industry-leading natural gas compressors and keeping its workforce healthy.
In an interview with the Mount Vernon News, Kent Dubbe, vice president of Human Resources and Organization Development, attributed the firm’s success in meeting those goals to following correct protocols.
Early in the pandemic, the company mandated personal protective equipment for every worker and social distancing to curtail viral spread. In addition, managers identified 250 employees who could temporarily work from home.
“Since the first of June, we’ve had everybody back on site,” Dubbe said.
Meeting the pandemic safety rules was no easy task given the logistics of the business: 1,200 workers at headquarters in Mount Vernon and at manufacturing plants in Newark and near Akron. Together, they oversee product creation, design and technical support.
Most in-person meetings shifted to phone or videoconferencing platforms, while training sessions were limited to about 10 people per room. HR Manager Tony Knox said the company also uses e-learning technology to help train workers.
Knox also stated that area public health officials were advising the firm on how to avoid situations where infections could spread.
“We’ve worked very hard to go above and beyond the requirements from the governor’s office in terms of safety and personal protective equipment,” Dubbe said.
Fortunately, demand for the company’s key technology — compressors used to extract clean-burning natural gas from wells and propel it through pipelines — has remained strong despite the pandemic. Dubbe noted that Ariel kept its supply of new units and spare parts uninterrupted, shipping daily to both domestic and international customers.
Natural gas, a cleaner alternative to coal energy, is driving demand for Ariel’s products and hasn’t slowed much during the pandemic.
“If you look at any of the ‘renewable energy’ sources of wind, solar, that type of thing, all of them are backed by natural gas,” Dubbe said. “In addition to that, there has been a massive conversion of power plants away from coal to burning natural gas.”
Dubbe credited the company’s work ethic with its stability.
“Our employees and also the resources in the community have just been fantastic in their response and in their attitudes,” he said. “Back in March, when the various governmental orders started to come through, we continued to have our full complement of operational as well as support staff working, and we had zero and continue to have zero layoffs whatsoever.”
