Factory boss hits back at claims firm is ignoring coronavirus social distancing rules

The managing director of Unipres car parts factory has hit back at claims that staff at the plant are not sticking to the government social distancing protocols.

Gary Graham, managing director or the firm, which employs more than one thousand people on Wearside, said some staff had been sent home to maintain social distancing on the shop floor.

The boss also denied that anyone at the factory had tested positive for the virus after rumours circulated that a senior supervisor at the factory had tested positive for the virus.

He said: “It is incorrect and malicious to suggest Unipres UK is not adhering to current Government protocols and risking the wellbeing of our employees.

“Every member of staff at Unipres, from press shop to boardroom, is trained and adheres to the most stringent of HSE regulations.

“We’re one of, if not the, largest parts supplier in the region, supporting in excess of 1,200 jobs in a heavily industrialised environment . Working in an environment such as ours strict health and safety protocols are of absolute paramount importance.

“As such, our response to the Government guidelines on proximity working and social distancing was immediate and enforced across the business. This was simplified by the shutdown of the plant last week, in line with the majority of automotive manufacturers.”

The UK Government asked for all staff in the county who can work from home to do so as part of its lockdown announcement last week.

However for a large number of companies, including factories working from home is not a possibility.

Mr Graham said there is now only a handful of employees working onsite, including the senior management team,and that all staff are adhering to the distancing protocols.

He said: “To the best of our knowledge, not a single employee has tested positive for COVID19.

“It is incredibly disappointing that someone would use this current crisis to try and sully the reputation of a business that supports well over a thousand jobs and is part of the fabric of Wearside business.”

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