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June 22, 2021
Hi everyone,
I hope you had a great weekend. On my side, for the first time in a year, I visited my mother in my native region of Charlevoix. What a joy to be allowed to see our loved ones again. It felt really good to be able to tell our stories in person, while respecting the guidelines. Thanks and kudos to the scientists for developing the vaccines. In all objectivity, what an amazing region for your summer vacation. In addition to the breathtaking scenery, the people are so welcoming.
We are actually getting ready to highlight the vacation season and thank you for all your hard work. Even though the pandemic situation is improving, we have decided not to share our historic BBQ. We will plan one for Novatech’s 40th anniversary in 2022! But since we are people of innovation, we had some good ideas to make it more festive this year. Surprises are waiting for you, for all our staff either on-site or working from home. The dates for each site will be announced soon.
Today, I would like to thank our colleagues in payroll. We do not always realize how much work it is on a daily basis when we look at our statement. They do whatever it takes to get it done. As you know, delays are not an option for this department, payroll is due every single week. We are currently looking to hire someone to join the team. Our HR services have grown significantly over the past few years to support the evolution of the Novatech Group, which now has more than 1,200 employees in several regions and countries. Good work relations, physical, mental and health safety, recruitment, retention and development of talent are among our priorities. The challenges are big and we count on the collaboration of all our people. Congrats to the entire team and thank you for sustaining our growth.
Vaccination campaigns are still underway. It is important to get a 2nd dose of the vaccine to be ready and better protected before fall arrives. Please inform your supervisor or HR partner if you got it. As you can see, it allows to ease the restrictions and to gradually return to a more normal life.
June marks the beginning of summer and National Holidays too. We will be celebrating Quebec this Thursday, June 24th. Happy day off to all Quebecers.
Thanks to all and have a nice week.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
June 15, 2021
I hope you are doing well. At Novatech, it’s on, we move together through our competitive challenge. I went rollerblading on Saturday. Result: sore muscles, but my hamster is always there to cheer me on.
Our referral program was a great success in May. You have referred several friends, wives, children or neighbors to us. A huge thanks for your participation. In addition to the special referral bonus, there was a contest and I proceeded to the draw before witnesses at our management committee meeting on Friday. Our 2 winners, Marie-Sol Laroche and Raphael Shea-Charrette, each received a $100 gift card. Please continue to spread the word to all your contacts. Every time you refer someone, you can get $500.
We are really proud to be hiring students again this year in our plants and offices. I would like to welcome you all within our group. You actually get the opportunity to put theory into practice. I remember my summer jobs very well. It taught me a lot on the technical side, but even more on the human side. It was formative, in addition to paying for all my school fees. Do not hesitate to ask questions. Good luck and thanks for your collaboration.
It is official, operations at our doorglass plant in Warren have been completely transferred to Austintown as of yesterday. Our teams in Ohio worked extremely hard over the weekend to set up all the equipment while making sure that production and customer service are not affected. The next phase will be the relocation of the injection molding presses. The realization of this whole project is strategic for the growth of our organization in the American market. Congratulations and thank you all for your incredible effort!
Reopening plans are gradually taking place everywhere. This is another good news. Novatech will also reduce some restrictions, but always with the health and safety of our employees in mind. Details will be communicated to you as they become available. Vaccination campaigns are well underway too. The more people who are vaccinated, the greater is our hope of returning to the way things were. We look forward to celebrating this victory over the virus.
Thanks to all and have a nice week. Let’s keep it up.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
June 8, 2021
Hi everyone,
I hope you had a great weekend. We may not all be hockey fans, but it is a very unifying sport when our local team wins. Kudos to our Canadiens, they are really hot!
I was listening to a meteorologist who said that the thermometer reaches 30 degrees more than 25 days a year in Quebec compared to about 10 days a few years back. We can therefore think that the planet is indeed getting warmer. Drink a lot of water during heat waves, it is important to avoid heatstroke.
We regularly hire new talents and I would like to welcome them all to our group. I hope your integration goes well. Please do not hesitate to contact your colleagues and supervisors if you have any questions. We are still in recruitment mode. Refer your neighbors, friends, cousins, etc. $500, it’s nice to get.
France is experiencing the same buzz as in North America. This is very good news. It also brings its challenges. Our facility now operates 3 shifts a day to meet the strong demand. Material price increases and delivery delays caused by the lack of materials certainly creates tension with our customers. I would like to highlight the remarkable work of our Novatech Europe teams, congrats to all. I look forward to visiting you again.
For my family, friends, colleagues and myself, I received my second dose of the vaccine last Wednesday. I am happy and relieved, especially since it was only supposed to be on July 29th. The vaccination campaign is well organized. Congratulations to all of you who were vaccinated or who have an appointment. It’s up to us to take action to get back to our previous life. We are on the right track, but we must stay vigilant.
Thanks to all and have a good week.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
June 1, 2021
Hi everyone,
I hope you are doing well and that our American colleagues had a nice long weekend to celebrate Memorial Day. On my side, mountain biking on Saturday and “5S” in the garage on Sunday. At the bike trail we went to, there are lots of stuffed animals hanging from trees. Here is ours that has been holding up for over 6 years now. I am registered for the Novatech sports competition in June. Let’s move, it’s good for the hamster. I also have to mention last night’s win by our Canadiens… Go Habs Go!
Last week, I attended a presentation on the new system that gives customers the correct door delivery dates. It is really impressive. We often improve our processes in the midst of turbulence. I applaud the initiative of this project and congratulate the execution of it all. It shows the strength of teamwork. Thanks to all.
Please join me in congratulating our colleagues in Terrebonne who are celebrating 1 year without any work accident as well as the ones in Calgary who have reached 7 years, it is incredible. Congrats!
A quick follow-up on remote work. We still have about 41% of our people working from home and 14% in hybrid mode. Except for specific cases, we do not expect to change our policy until early September. We still need to think this through but sharing working hours between home and the office could be an option for some of our employees.
We are approaching 65% of employees who have received a first dose of vaccine or have an appointment. Do not hesitate to contact your supervisor or HR partner if you need help making an appointment. It is important to protect ourselves because we all want to get back to a more normal life. Spread the message, it is the only way we can hope to take off our masks and start traveling again. I sure am looking forward to getting my second dose and move on to another call.
Even when vaccinated, we cannot let our guard down now though. We continue to maintain physical distancing, wear a mask and wash our hands everywhere and at all our sites. If you have any symptoms, please make sure to let our HR people know so that they can be proactive and make the necessary investigations. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your rigor in following the guidelines, whether working at the plant, from home or at the office. Together, we are getting through this pandemic with brio!
Let’s keep it up, we have a beautiful summer on the horizon…
Have a nice week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
May 25, 2021
Hi everyone,
I hope you had a nice long weekend. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all the Energi patio door employees to the Novatech family. The integration plan is underway. Last week, I participated in our virtual café, a very nice initiative from the HR team. I learned a lot about flowers and the vegetable garden. Here are some New Guinea impatiens taken on the spot Saturday morning with a few drops of water on.
Demand continues to be very strong for all our divisions, which is excellent news. The downside is procurement and the increase in raw material costs. This is quite a challenge for our teams. It takes a lot of agility to constantly find B plans to supply our facilities. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the work of our sales and customer service teams who respond on a daily basis to customers who are sometimes impatient, but mostly understanding. Communication is key in these turbulent times. I know that it is not always easy, but I am with you. Congrats!
Vaccination is well underway across North America and Europe. At Novatech, we now have 55% of employees who have received a first dose or have an appointment. If you have been vaccinated, let your supervisor or HR partner know so that we can get closer to 75%. We encourage you to do so, it is the only way to get back to a more normal life.
Until then, this is not the time to let our guard down. We continue to maintain physical distancing, wear a mask and wash our hands everywhere and on all our sites. We need to keep it up… We really see the light at the end of this long tunnel or even better, clouds are beginning to let the sun shine through.
Thanks to all and have a good week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
May 5, 2021
Hi everyone,
I hope you are doing well and that the start of the week is going as planned. Many of you must have wondered why there was no message on Tuesday? The thing is I was not allowed to release the following good news before May 5th.
I am pleased to announce that Novatech has been re-qualified as a Gold Standard winner of the Best Managed Companies in Canada for a 6th consecutive year. I would like to congratulate and thank each member of our team for this accomplishment.
The winners of this program represent Canadian-owned and managed companies that demonstrate strategy, skill and commitment to sustainable growth through world-class innovative business practices. Each year, hundreds of companies participate in this independent and rigorous process that evaluates each company’s capabilities and management practices.
In 2020, our challenges were great in terms of growth, market development, improvement projects, synergies and succession planning. We have succeeded, despite the storm. Let’s be proud of how far we have come and celebrate our many achievements.
Speaking of celebration, it will be Mother’s Day on Sunday. So, I take this opportunity to wish them all a wonderful day. I will have flowers delivered to mine and we will have a nice virtual gathering.
Novatech also received a thank you note from the Public Health Department for our efforts to counter the pandemic and our excellent collaboration. Once again, I say bravo to the whole team and let’s continue with our good prevention practices on all our sites. Keep it up!
Maintain physical distancing • Wear a mask • Wash your hands
Vaccination campaigns are well underway everywhere. We encourage you to participate, it is important to protect yourself and others. Remember, if you have been vaccinated or have an appointment, please let your supervisor or HR partner know.
Thanks to all and have a good week. Stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 27, 2021
Hi everyone,
I hope you are doing well. A bit of a colder weekend, but not enough to keep us from getting some fresh air and exercise. I am still amazed at how nature wakes up every year. Perennials in the flower beds are growing, trees are budding, lawns are turning green, migratory birds are back.
We are also hopeful for a good summer. I was reading an article that mentioned that Health Canada plans to lift some restrictions when 75% of citizens will have their first dose of a vaccine and 20% a second one.
I mentioned it many times, I trust science and agree with the vaccination. This is another important action to take to hopefully return to a more normal life. If you have been vaccinated or have an appointment, let your supervisor or HR partner know.
This week, I would like to acknowledge our residential NCG team. We exceed our sales budget while respecting the deadlines and the quality of our products. Everything from the time we take the order to when we ship it is impeccable. This division is in its 6th year with the Novatech Group and I am proud of its constant progress. Congratulations to the entire team. I look forward to being able to visit you.
We had a tough COVID week at our door plant in Ste-Julie. A lot of actions have been put into place, thanks and congratulations to the whole team. My first concern is the health of our people. I hope that it is behind us now. It just proves that we must never let our guard down. Everyone needs to continue to follow the basic guidelines at all times, even during breaks and carpools: physical distancing, wearing a mask, hand washing. We cannot give up!
Thanks to all and have a nice week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 25, 2021
Hi everyone,
Just a quick update to keep you informed.
Our first quarter started out slow and quickened to a strong finish. Strong enough for a quarterly bonus for those that are with us a year. Unfortunately, we are experiencing three significant challenges(as well as the rest of our industry) that are dampening the size of our profit and bonus: transportation, raw materials and starting wages for production workers. These costs are extremely high. The cost for a single container has increased thousands of dollars, plastic resin for making our frames has increased over 60%, and nearly all other materials have increased dramatically. Increasing our prices only 4% on May 10 will barely cover these rising costs. So, our profitability is not as good as it could be; I’m relieved that we are still doing well enough to earn a bonus!
It is a pleasure to have Joyce and Crystal on our customer service team and I look forward to sharing our quarterly bonuses with them eventually. We need to continue expanding our production teams in Ohio and Fernwood. By the middle of May, we hope to start producing our own IG in a new Intercept IG department. More news to follow when that is happening. At Fernwood, we are still looking for reliable, entry level production workers. If you are not on our Management team and know someone to refer to Steve, there is a $500 bonus for you once the recruit attains 90 days of good attendance at work.
Some of us continue to visit the office on M-W-F. If you need supplies, want to pick up your maple syrup, or just want to say hello…those in the office are all vaccinated and welcome a visit. Our office protocol is that everyone must be vaccinated to work in the office. Wearing a mask is necessary whenever others are in proximity. Keep in mind that for the past year, every production worker at FW and OH have had to wear a mask at all times.
Since our corporate office team has been so effective while working from home, it is likely that we when we come back to the office, we will work a hybrid schedule of some days in the office and others at home. For planning purposes, parents with children can expect to continue working from home during the summer months and we will “likely” return to the office immediately after Labor Day. In the meantime, you are welcome to work at the office when Daniela, Adam, Kevin or I am there. I urge everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible now that vaccines are plentiful and appointments are easy to get. Eventually, everyone will have to be vaccinated to return to the office.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call or email. I appreciate the fine work that you are doing and wish you continued good health!
Ron
April 20, 2021
Hi everyone,
I hope you are doing well. Today, I decided to start my communiqué with sanitary safety. We had 5 positive cases at our door plant in Ste-Julie and 1 at patio doors in Beauceville. We are asking you to respect all the instructions, do not come to work if you have symptoms, and wear a mask at all times, even when you are carpooling. It is true that everyone is a little tired, but now is not the time to let our guard down. Public health authorities have started to shut down businesses that were not following the rules. I know that it is not our case at Novatech, our facilities are as safe as ever. Thanks to all of you, we count on your rigor.
I am in the second week since my first dose of the vaccine and everything is going fine. I am convinced that this is our only way out of this pandemic.
2021 is going to be a busy year for the construction industry. Just by walking through our neighborhoods, we can see that things are moving like never before. New streets are popping up, houses are going up fast, roof repairs, heavy machinery on lands, doors and windows are being changed, parking lots of hardware stores are full, many cranes are in downtown areas, etc. Our industry is booming.
The deadlines that have always been sacred are being shaken up a bit everywhere. I know that our employees are doing their very best. Communication with our people and our customers has never been more important than today. Projects are underway to improve our systems and give our customers more accurate delivery dates, especially at the door plant which has been greatly affected by the lack of materials. A multidisciplinary team is currently at work. Congrats!
Our new steel door press produced its first plain sheets on April 16th. This is a strategic project for our organization. I would like to congratulate the entire team that has put hundreds of hours into this project over the past several months.
Normally, at this time of the year, I would have toured all our plants to meet with you and present our results and projects as well as our annual video that I really like. As this is not possible at the moment, we will try to do it some other way. We will get back to you on that…
We are still in recruitment mode. You probably know someone who would love to work with passionate people like us. Refer this person to us and you could get $500.
Once again, thanks to all and have a nice week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 13, 2021
Hi everyone,
I hope you are doing well. A weekend of being outdoors, biking, cleaning up a little in the yard, watching deer and breathing in the spring… All small things that make us feel good. But I have to ask our experts a question: will our Canadians make the playoffs? Should they stop wearing the blue jersey?
I had mentioned before that I would raise my hand if the government asked for volunteers to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine. So, I had no hesitation when they offered it to those who are 55 and over. I am very happy to tell you that I got my first dose last Thursday and have an appointment for my second dose on July 29th. Just over a year into this pandemic, this is incredible. I am doing this so that we can get back to a more normal life.
I know that many of you are wondering what our intentions are with respect to teleworking. We are keeping the same strategy and do not anticipate any changes for the moment. We are still monitoring the situation and are in line with all government instructions. Like all manufacturing companies, we are thinking about the post-COVID era. It is too early to commit on how it will be done in the future. Today, 45% of employees are in the office, 14% in hybrid mode and 41% working remotely. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your flexibility. Your safety and the sustainability of our organization are our priorities.
Our patio door division has an impressive start to the year. A production record was set in the last week of March at our plant A in Beauceville. This plant manufactures the 550 welded PVC door as well as the Element model, a hybrid door made of interior PVC and exterior aluminum. Congrats to all our employees… I cannot wait to go back and visit you in Beauceville!
We are still looking for new employees in all our plants. Referrals had a great success last year and we are counting on you to spread the word again. We know that you are our best Novatech ambassadors. And $500 might be nice to get.
With more contagious variants circulating, we must be extra careful and continue to follow all the recommendations of public health authorities everywhere and on all our sites. We talk about the light at the end of the tunnel, it is certainly a long tunnel, but we keep smiling even behind our masks. We would like to congratulate you for your rigor and perseverance. We’ll get there…
Thanks to all and have a good week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 6, 2021
Hi everyone,
I hope you are doing well. What a beautiful Easter weekend. Of course, we would have preferred to be with our families, but as in 2020, we complied to the guidelines. The difference is that we are now real tech pros. It allows us to communicate and get closer, regardless of distance or age. There were a lot of people on the streets walking, roller skating, scootering and a few were still skiing. We chose to walk and take our first bike rides. My hamster took this opportunity to oxygenate his brain. And yes, we indulged our sweet tooth too.
March deliveries had strong growth in all our divisions. We exceeded our budgets and orders continue to come in at an incredible pace. And good news: the capacity at our door plant will be increasing due to the additional resin delivery. Remember last year at this time… The vast majority of our employees were on temporary layoff due to the closure of manufacturing companies in Quebec and France. I am extremely grateful to be part of a strong and healthy industry. Thanks to all our teams.
That is why we must continue to follow all the instructions, wear the mask over our nose and mouth, wash our hands regularly and always stay 6 feet apart. We do this for our colleagues, our families, our customers and our jobs. Public health authorities will be much stricter. They required the temporary closure of one of our clients because of too many cases among their employees. Congratulations to all of you for continuing this collective effort. Let’s keep it up…
Everyone is gearing up for the nice weather and, at Novatech, we are still looking for new recruits. Last year, we had record success with referrals. Do not hesitate to refer us a friend, brother, sister, relative or neighbor. We would be happy to welcome them with us.
Moreover, our HR team will soon be able to launch our employer branding project. The goal is to demonstrate to the market all the human and professional advantages of coming to work for the Novatech Group.
Thanks to all and have a good week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
March 30, 2021
Hi everyone,
I hope you are doing well. Some of you have been vaccinated and our turn will be coming soon. I was asked last week if I was going to get vaccinated. My answer is yes, without any hesitation. I trust science. Like all of you, I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends, including my mother who is no longer 20 years old.
Last Tuesday, I told you about the maple syrup that will undoubtedly be on the menu for many of you to celebrate Easter this weekend. We thought of offering this incomparable Quebec delicacy in a Novatech bottle to all our employees. Our American and French colleagues shall let us know what they think of it. The distribution should start by the end of next week. We wanted to thank you for your smiles, your commitment and your good work as well as for following all the guidelines for over a year. We are all going to indulge our sweet tooth and, at the same time, encourage our sugar shacks. Let’s keep the ball rolling…
The annual design event of the School of Architecture of Laval University was held on March 26th. We are proud to contribute to this initiative of the students by sponsoring the People’s Choice Award to encourage their talent and enthusiasm to innovate and achieve great things. Congratulations to all the participants who will most certainly become future partners of the Novatech Group.
Other than our supply challenges at our door facility, I would say that all of our divisions are responding well to the high demand. Our teams continue to work hard to increase our capacity. New equipment such as the glass lines in Ste-Julie, St-Agapit and Austintown, the press and the CNC at the doors will soon be in operation and many other improvement projects are ongoing. We have also new colleagues who will add their skills to a solid team. Welcome among our family. I am confident and proud of what we accomplish all together to remain the leader in our industry. Congratulations to the entire team.
I wish you a very Happy Easter as you find ways to connect remotely with your loved ones. We cannot let our guard down after all we have accomplished so far. Health and safety to all!
Thanks to all and have a nice week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
February 2, 2021
Hi everyone,
I hope you are doing well. Hey no, this is not a picture of the sun, but of the moon. It was beautifully reflecting on the snow last weekend. I feel like this pandemic is making us appreciate more the simple things of life and nature. Hockey being back on TV helps us also, it is comforting, even if we are not total fans… And sure looking forward to the Super Bowl this Sunday night, Brady of Mahomes ?
We have a very good start to the year. The month of January ended with growth compared to 2020 and higher than budgeted. I am grateful for the sustainability of our organization. My thoughts are with all the industries that are still in the fog for the moment.
Today, I would like to talk to you about our culture of continuous improvement. The SAGE program (Strategy for Overall Business Improvement) began in 2004. Following conferences and analysis of large companies, we decided to opt for a program that would bring us all together. Over the past 17 years, hundreds of employees have eliminated thousands of wastes. I am always and still impressed by the quality and professionalism of our employees’ presentations. Despite the pandemic, 220 employees participated in 130 projects with more than 1,500 actions. When we talk about a culture of continuous improvement, this is it. Congrats to all, you can be proud of the work accomplished.
Since mid-January, we have had 3 new positive cases in 2 different sites in Quebec. All were related to family contacts. Our facilities are therefore as safe as ever and the necessary measures are being applied proactively. Thank you all for your rigor.
In the coming weeks, we must continue to strengthen our efforts everywhere and at all our sites: wearing masks properly, keeping the 6-feet distance and frequent hand washing. These are constant gestures that we have adopted in our daily lives for several months now. In the heat of the moment, an omission can happen sometimes. We need to be able to remind each other about these guidelines quickly and with kindness among colleagues. This is really important for everyone’s well-being.
Thanks to all and have a nice week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
January 26, 2021
I hope you are doing well. After experiencing its first storm last week, Quebec has had colder temperatures this weekend with -0.4°F on the thermometer and -18°F felt. But that did not stop me from going outside. My hamster simply concentrated on warming up and contemplating the splendor of nature, without thinking about anything else. I know it may seem hard to understand for our American and French colleagues, but the blue sky, the snow and the cold, believe me, it’s magical. Not for 12 months in a row though. We are still looking forward to the return of warmer days…
The Novatech Europe team completed investment projects to improve productivity and quality at our plant in Roanne, France. Most of the work was done during the holiday season to avoid any impact on the service to our customers. We have a modern plant with unique products in line with our ambitions. Congrats to the whole team!
Today, I would like to highlight the work of an incredible team too often in the shadow: our colleagues at payroll. We always receive our paycheque without realizing all the work that it can represent on a daily basis. And let’s not forget the blitz they have at the beginning of each year to prepare our tax statements. A big bravo and thank you for your loyalty to the job.
If you know people who want to join a fine organization, please do not hesitate to refer them to us. We will gladly welcome them into our great family.
In fact, please join me in welcoming our new colleagues who have recently joined us.
I would like to remind you that the respect of sanitary measures is essential everywhere and on all our sites: wearing a mask, keeping a distance of 6 feet and washing your hands. In addition, if you have contacts related to COVID-19, symptoms or even doubts, you must immediately notify your supervisor or HR partner so that we can all be proactive.
Thanks to all and have a good week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
January 18, 2021
Message from the President,
The threat from Covid19 continues to be very serious and we‘re saddened by the friends and family that have been lost. The coming winter months may worsen the spread of the virus. Therefore, please spend time only with close friends and family who respect safety, avoid dining in restaurants, maintain health & safety protocols, get your temperature measured before reporting to your work area, wash your hands often, and wear a mask over your mouth and nose. By following these rules, you protect yourself, your family and your coworkers. Please respect their safety by doing your share to keep RSL open and successful.
I am optimistic about the start of 2021. RSL is a stronger company than we were at the start of 2020. We worked together as a dedicated team of production workers, office staff & managers and accomplished what very few in our industry could do. We worked smart and hard and broke every record in the company‘s long history! Sales soared and our customer service team endured tremendous pressure from customers. The office worked from home for 10 months and will continue in early 2021. Accounting made a huge transition from Sage to Novatech‘s Oracle software. Purchasing dealt with an historic collapse from our largest domestic supplier of glass. Marketing introduced great strategies to promote our newest and best products. Novatech supported us in every way possible to grow with efficiency and best practices.
You can be proud of our accomplishments. Working together, we can make 2021 exceptional too!
Sincerely,
Ron Lewkowitz
President, RSL LLC
January 4, 2021
Hi everyone,
I would like to wish you all and your families a very happy New Year 2021, health, happiness and projects that will meet your expectations.
The holiday season of 2020 will remain unique for all of us. For my part, I would say that we missed the presence of our loved ones, but this period allowed us to take the time to do simple and restful things that we normally cannot do.
All our operations are back this morning with excellent order books ahead of us. We are therefore starting 2021 with all the energy required to offer our clients the level of service and quality that the Novatech Group is renowned for.
You have all noticed that the COVID has not been resting. Cases are on the rise throughout North America and Europe. My thoughts go out to all nursing staff and health care providers. Please join me in thanking them and let’s continue our efforts together by following all the guidelines at our sites, this is essential. Whenever possible, we will continue to favor teleworking until further notice.
Thanks to all and have a good week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
December 17, 2020
Dear friends and coworkers,
This will be my last update of 2020.
With only a week or two remaining before the holiday season and the start of a new year, RSL continues to be very busy. We have reluctantly cancelled our holiday parties and all production facilities and office personnel are still working full time. Production continues to work an extra 10 hours of OT each week and will be shipping orders thru Dec 23. Our accounting, purchasing and customer service teams have a lot of planning and year end functions to complete. Inventory taking will start next Saturday, Dec 26 and continue thru Dec 30. Heather will be updating customer quotes and your sales manager will review and forward them to you the first week of January. Our marketing team is finishing our price catalogs for steel doors and doorglass. We hope to ship them to you in the first few weeks of January with our full line color catalogs. Conor will email you soon to ask how many to ship to you and each customer in your territory. Please get us a comprehensive list soon thereafter. While you and your customers are waiting for hard copies, a digital version of our price and color catalogs will be available before the start of 2021. I am confident that you will also be impressed with our new product flyers, brochures and 48 page Style Guide. We anticipate that the Style Guide will be used much more than our full line catalog.
I would like to share good news about steel door production in Canada. The new press that many of you saw in Ste Julie is now operating and will enhance our production capabilities. The arrival of two new cut-out machines, long delayed, is expected very soon. And the urgent industry shortage of steel, that I told you about recently, will likely be eased by the arrival of massive amounts of steel coils from Brazil to supply an additional 100,000 doors. It looks like the shortage may not effect Novatech as much as feared.
RSL’s move to a new facility in Austintown, Ohio has been delayed at least 1-2 months by landlord delays in getting the building readied for our equipment. We anticipate that by late February we can begin to move some equipment and inventory. The whole transition will not be completed before the summer. That timeline does not concern us greatly because we will be able to operate out of both facilities. As soon as personnel and equipment are in place, we will send photos and videos to introduce you to our new production home. Then in the fall, we will schedule a Sales Meeting there to show you our facility in person.
Since none of us can predict how long the pandemic will restrict travel or change the way that we all work, our marketing team is preparing new sales presentations for you to use in Zoom meetings, creating new sales tools to promote our newest products, and digital marketing strategies to boost sales in the future. My message is one of confidence that RSL is changing to meet a new reality for our industry. We look forward to 2021 and appreciate all that you have done to make 2020 a successful year in extraordinary circumstances!
Stay safe and enjoy a happy holiday season!
Sincerely,
Ron Lewkowitz
President, RSL LLC
December 1, 2020
Hi everyone,
I hope you are doing well. I took the opportunity over the weekend to recharge my batteries with good walks and lots of sleep. I feel more than ready to end the year on a high note. We have many projects underway to prepare for the next season.
The month of November had record sales once again. I am so proud of what has been accomplished and the resilience of our people. Congratulations to all our teams!
Speaking of resilience, some of our suppliers are experiencing a few challenges facing our demands. Daily, we have to negotiate, do the necessary follow-ups, change our planning, call customers, etc. I would like to highlight the extraordinary work of our employees who do their utmost to meet our clients’ needs as best as possible. I understand very well the additional endeavor that this implies.
We will be submitting our file to Canada’s Best Managed Companies this week. They have added a section on the pandemic management. The verdict will only be announced next March as to whether the Novatech Group qualifies for a 6th time. I am very confident.
For a few weeks now, we have been mentally preparing ourselves to have to give up the traditional holiday meal at all our sites. Every year, I am looking forward to meeting you and thanking you in person. You will understand that it will not be possible this time. So, Novatech has decided to offer a $50 grocery gift card to all its employees. We hope that you will enjoy it with your family bubble. I know it has not been an easy year and I thank you very sincerely for your dedication.
Until then, we keep the course, always in strict compliance with the sanitary instructions of physical distancing, hand washing and mask wearing over the mouth and nose. Let’s not give up!
Thanks to all and have a good week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
October 27, 2020
Hi everyone,
I hope you are doing well and taking care of your hamster. The number of cases is still high all over the world. That is why the instructions put into place by our teams must be followed, even if it can be annoying sometimes. We do it to protect ourselves as well as to protect our colleagues and our jobs. Furthermore, to ensure better protection for all our employees, wearing reusable face coverings will be replaced by disposable masks on a mandatory basis at our sites. You will receive all the details soon.
This second wave prevents me from visiting you and touring our plants as I would like to. I am sorry about that, but I will do so someday. In the meantime, I will be planning virtual meetings, as we did last spring, and hope to have the privilege of exchanging with you before the holiday season.
Today, I would like to highlight the determination of our patio door teams. Our products are in high demand. We offer a line of patio doors that meets all needs. Whether it is a welded or unwelded PVC door, with a 100% PVC or covered wood frame, a hybrid door with aluminum exterior and PVC interior or a 100% aluminum door, we have something for every taste, from bungalows to high-rises. This is what makes us the leaders in our markets. Our R&D teams are always looking for the latest trends to present innovative products. Our teams in operation, quality, HR, logistics, purchasing, finance, customer service and after-sales service spare no effort to increase our capacity and to continually improve quality, productivity, and communication, all in a safe work environment. Congratulations to all our teams!
This is a fine example where Novatech’s key skills are used every day: quality of judgment, customer-oriented, collaboration, agility and results-focused.
My weekly update will be taking a break next week. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact your supervisor or our HR team. We are there for you.
Thanks to all and have a good week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
October 20, 2020
Hi everyone,
I hope you had a good weekend. Today, I would like to highlight an important event. We are celebrating this week the 1st anniversary of Laurier Architectural’s arrival in the great Novatech family. A lot of work has been done to ensure the integration process, including the implementation of FeneVision in Anjou and Oracle finance at Laurier-Station, and this, despite the pandemic. We can be proud of the association of our two companies, which announces a very promising future with many projects already in the works.
I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome all our new employees. It is always a challenge to integrate a new organization. Many of them started at our plants, others directly in teleworking and some at the offices. You will see that our people are more than creative in making you experience the beautiful culture of the Novatech Group, a strong culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
Speaking of continuous improvement, I saw all the perseverance and pride of the team that has contributed to significantly increasing the capacity of our Q470 line. This product that we have been manufacturing for over 25 years is still popular and in demand. In all objectivity, we have the best ventilated doorglass on the market.
Furthermore, a paint room was installed this year at Vernova for patio doors. It is a challenge to start a new process of this magnitude for this plant. The whole team has been involved with determination to succeed and today, what a source of pride for this team. Congratulations to all!
These are two more fine examples of our teamwork, one of our fundamental values at Novatech. Do not hesitate to get involved, it is so gratifying.
And meanwhile, we cannot let our guard down. Let’s continue to cultivate our perseverance on the security side as well. We must follow all sanitary measures rigorously for the health of all our colleagues and the sustainability of our beautiful company.
If you have questions or comments, speak with your supervisor or our HR team without any hesitation.
Thanks to all and have a good week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
October 16, 2020
Dear Friends and Customers,
I hope that you and your family are doing well and that your business continues to be strong during these amazing and unexpected times. The pandemic, supply chain shortages, and soaring orders have caused unprecedented challenges for our building industry. For RSL, those challenges fell into three stages. The first from March to June was surprising and successful. The transition to remote work for our corporate office was smooth and our production facilities kept up with increasing orders by working significant amounts of overtime. Lead times for nearly all product categories were about one week.
Many in our industry expected the building pipeline to dry up by the summer. Instead, your orders continued to increase and RSL entered the second stage. Our primary supplier of glass shocked the industry by closing two facilities with very short notice. By July, our domestic supply dried up and RSL went from supplying tremendous service to having serious challenges with our glass and GBG supply chain; worse, we could not provide you with reliable answers as to when backorders would ship. We deeply regret the problems that this caused you and your customers.
Fortunately, RSL is now in the third stage. Our supply chain is much improved, with new suppliers, and your orders continue to be strong. Our efforts to improve lead times for clear, Low E, internal blinds and decorative doorglass are returning to normal. You can count on lead times of 2-3 weeks in October for the products listed above. Impact orders are now 3 weeks and wood lights & louvers are 3 weeks. The one remaining challenge is GBGs and we are striving to improve those.
RSL and our parent company Novatech are committed to supporting your orders for the future. We have made substantial investments in automated equipment to increase our own supply of clear, Low E, and GBG doorglass. In the coming months, we will move to an impressive new, production facility located 15 miles away from our current Ohio facility. In Canada, Novatech has invested millions in new equipment for increased steel door production. When it is once again safe to travel, we welcome you to visit us at our new production facility in Ohio and to our door production in Montreal. We would like you to see for yourself how extensively we have invested to support your business.
In the meantime, on behalf of our entire RSL team, I thank you for your support and loyalty. RSL will improve our communication and production capabilities to ensure that we supply you with the quality and service that you rely on. Having customers that count on us is a privilege that we do not take for granted. We look forward to the future and wish you, your business, and your family good health and success.
Sincerely,
Ron Lewkowitz
President, RSL LLC
October 14, 2020
Hi everyone,
I hope my update finds you well. The second wave is challenging our resilience once again and it seems to be affecting our mood a bit more. I think I’ve told you this before, I always like to see the glass half full. I try to take things one day at a time. At Novatech, we are part of an industry that is doing well, we have a job and we do everything we can to take care of our people.
Indeed, our Continuity Committee constantly monitors the safety of all our sites. We would like to thank them for this colossal task. Your rigor and adaptation obviously make all the difference and, in turn, they want to thank you. It is true that wearing a mask can be irritating, but it is a small price to pay for a certain degree of freedom. All together, by following the instructions of the governments, we will reach our destination even if the storm will be long. Let’s stay focus on offering the maximum to our clients.
Moreover, our sales are still strong in all our divisions. We can also feel that communication is improving on several levels. This is really positive, let’s continue!
I would like to acknowledge today the work of our IT team. It has been a very busy year with the various strategic projects of the group. On October 1st, we made our third major launch, the implementation of Oracle at RSL. In the weeks to come, a lot of effort may still be required to resolve a few issues. Thank you to our RSL team for your collaboration and to our IT team for your usual dedication and quick responses every day.
Thanks to all and have a great week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
October 6, 2020
Hi everyone,
I hope you are doing well. We are starting October with enthusiasm on the sales side at Novatech. September hit indeed truly incredible results. We even beat our original budget. This is a record month for the group. The United States market is still very strong, Ontario is showing very good growth and the other markets continue to catch up. In addition, projects with our patio doors and Laurier Architectural will be more than busy for the coming months. Congratulations for this historic month. We can all be proud of these team results.
I was also very glad to learn last week that our Loft patio doors qualified for this great residential project in Montreal. Our patio door will impress the future residents of this high-end apartment building at 1500 Maisonneuve. This is the largest project with our Loft doors to date. It will certainly open new doors to many other promising projects… Congrats to our entire team at NPP!
On the health and safety side, we must not let our guard down. All instructions must be followed with rigor and discipline on each of our sites, both indoors and outdoors.
The Canadian and Quebec governments recommend that all citizens download the COVID Alert application now to limit the spread of the virus.
Not only should we think about physical health, but emotional health as well. If you are feeling more stressed out or anxious, do not be embarrassed in seeking advice through your Employee Assistance Program (EAP), it is confidential. One call can make a difference. Visit our web page for contact info of your EAP or our HR team.
On Monday, October 12th, Canadians will celebrate Thanksgiving. Enjoy the long weekend to take care of yourself and your hamster. We need to follow government guidelines pertaining to gatherings and find ways to connect remotely with our loved ones.
Thank you and have a good week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
September 29, 2020
Hi everyone,
I hope you took the time to admire the beautiful fall colors this weekend and that you are doing well.
The second wave of cases is of concern to governments. That is why they are asking us to limit our transit and avoid gatherings. No matter where you are, whether it is inside or outside Novatech, remember to stay at a distance of 6 feet from others, wear your face covering and wash your hands regularly.
We had the confirmation of a first positive case in Quebec. Since the employee wore a face covering and followed the instructions as well as his colleagues, this prevented the spread of the virus on the site. Everything is therefore under control at our door plant. We learned this morning that he is doing much better. Moreover, it proves that our health safety protocol is working. We must never let our guard down. I thank you for your rigor and respect for your colleagues.
The demand for our products is still very strong. All our divisions are working hard to increase capacity. Thanks to all our customer service and sales teams for your collaboration in communicating with customers. I know it is not easy sometimes, but so essential.
Every week, we continually take new steps. I would like to share two very important ones with you:
- Our entry door division in Sainte-Julie manufactured more than 20,000 doors and embossed nearly 41,000 sheets in just one week. That’s an impressive record, congratulations to all!
- Following FeneVision’s launch in Anjou last June, several adjustments had to be made. The service was not up to our clients’ expectations. It should be noted that this system was installed during the first wave of the pandemic, it took a lot of courage. The teams resolved all the problems this summer and today, I am pleased to announce that we are back to the 2019 level and the best is ahead of us. Congrats to the whole team!
Continuous improvement is part of the Novatech Group’s DNA and we can be proud of everything we have accomplished as a team since the beginning of this pandemic.
Thanks to all and have a good week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
September 25, 2020
Good morning,
I hope that everyone is doing well, handling kids schooling remotely, and staying safe!
This morning Bo and I attended a Zoom management meeting with Novatech leaders of their commercial glass, patio door, steel door and doorglass divisions. Like us, their sales are booming and production is significantly higher than last year. In Canada, despite being closed for two full months, their sales have just surpassed the level of 2019 during the first 9.5 months; that is extremely impressive! Ventlite production in Montreal is now 3000 weekly; steel doors production is now 3800 daily working nights & weekends and last week they received orders for 20,000 doors alone; their Quebec tempered and annealed glass production is now 90,000 pcs weekly; last week their sales team in Quebec gained a new account with potential for $8-11M annually(they are the largest glazer in Quebec and in the top 20 of all Canada); Cardinal IG in Canada has stopped supplying western Canada and put eastern Canada customers on strict allocation.
RSL is one of the shining stars in the Novatech group. Our sales and production have been extraordinary. Bo made an impressive presentation to the Novatech team, explaining our upcoming move to Austintown. I have attached it for you to review; let us know if you have any questions. The team in Canada was duly impressed and a lot will be happening in Ohio soon!
Europe and Canada are already starting a second wave of COVID infections and Novatech has 13 employees in quarantine for possible infection, so please renew your safety standards to help keep RSL and our employees safe! Our corporate office plans are to continue working remotely for the foreseeable future. Perhaps that can change in January if we avoid a second wave.
I am forwarding the following article to inform you about housing trends in the U.S.:
https://www.dwmmag.com/new-home-sales-at-highest-pace-since-september-2006/
Have a great weekend!
Sincerely,
Ron Lewkowitz
President, RSL LLC
September 22, 2020
Hi everyone,
I hope you had a great weekend and took this opportunity to take your mind off things. Hamsters love to get away from it all in the great outdoors. It helps them to think differently and it sure feels good.
As expected, we are entering the second wave of coronavirus cases. Today, we have a better understanding of why we have imposed the wearing of face coverings in all our sites. It is also strongly recommended to wear them for all those who carpool. The virus does not distinguish between a friend or a family member. You are also asked to respect the instructions during breaks. Let’s make sure we do our maximum by continuing to follow government guidelines. We certainly do not want to go back on pause as last March. Together, we can make a difference to prevent this wave from getting too big. All our decisions are made with our two priorities in mind, which remain physical and sanitary safety and the sustainability of the organization. I want to reassure you that we continue to make every effort to ensure that our sites are as safe as possible.
Sales are still higher than our capacity, forcing us to extend our lead times. And our deliveries have fallen behind schedule more than usual. I would like to thank all our teams for your agility and customer-oriented focus. These two key skills are undeniably at the forefront at the moment.
On another note, Novatech is proud to be associated with a top-level speed skating champion, Alex Boisvert-Lacroix. He has won several world championship medals and finished 11th at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Games. His next goal is the Beijing 2022 Winter Games. Congrats to Alex for his perseverance!
To become and remain the best, it takes a lot of determination, adequate equipment, a favorable environment, a dedicated team, being resilient, training and working hard. I would say that there are many parallels between Alex and his sport vs. Novatech and our results year after year.
We are still counting on you to help us in our recruitment efforts. With the end of September approaching, there is little time left for you to be on our list of ambassadors who could be eligible for the $1,000 referral premium. Ask all your contacts to spread the message to their contacts.
If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to speak with your supervisor or our HR team.
Thanks to all and have a good week. Let’s persevere.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
September 15, 2020
Hi everyone,
We can feel that Fall is approaching. What a beautiful season! On the other hand, a second wave is emerging, the virus is still there. Rest assured that our priorities remain the same: the safety of our people and the sustainability of the organization. We are better equipped than at the beginning of the pandemic; more than ever, we must not let our guard down.
The gradual return to our offices is going very well. I understand that for some of you it may seem slightly difficult, but it is necessary for a manufacturing company like ours. Teleworking is sometimes less suitable for departments close to operations, especially when there is a gap between sales and our capacity. As a team, we are more agile by being on site to quickly execute action plans and better serve our customers. For my part, I am back at 5 days in the office and I feel great.
There are a lot of opportunities for our group right now. Besides growth markets, some of our competitors are opening doors for us. Masonite has officially exited the Eastern Canadian market for entry doors as well as doorglass. Energi’s patio door division is currently on strike. As a leader in these markets, we are implementing strategies to increase our capacity and provide service that will meet our customers’ expectations. Let’s not let our other competitors get any closer.
We are still recruiting in the majority of our sites. Keep spreading the word to all your contacts, you are our best ambassadors.
I would also like to remind you that compliance with health instructions is essential everywhere on our sites:
- Wearing a mask is mandatory in all your transit. You can remove it only when you are immobilized at your workstation, in a meeting room or in the cafeteria.
- Limit your travel as much as possible.
- Wash your hands regularly.
- Whether you are indoors or outdoors, keep 6 feet away from any other person.
In addition, as soon as symptoms appear or at the slightest doubt, it is very important to quickly notify your supervisor or our HR team so that we can do the necessary follow-ups.
I thank you once again for your rigor. Let’s not give up.
Have a great week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
September 8, 2020
Hi everyone,
I hope you had a nice long weekend. Maybe some of you took this opportunity to make canned food or just get some fresh air, it is good for the hamster. I would like to thank all the people who agreed to work during this long weekend to help recover some of the delays. It will certainly be appreciated by our customers.
Housing resale is booming and there are not enough new homes to meet the demand. Renovation is also on the rise. Rarely have these two market segments experienced such strong growth at the same time. 2020 is truly out of the ordinary for all industries and specifically for ours. We are glad as it announces a very busy fall for Novatech.
This high demand affects delivery times not only for us, but the entire industry. The important thing for us is to always make sure that we communicate well, both between our own internal teams and with our customers and suppliers, and that we continue to do our best. All our competitors have also extended their lead times. So, it would be surprising if our industry named a champion of delays this year. If our customers and partners recognize however the effort of our people and if we maintain good communication with them, we will then be their champion.
We have very good sales results and so many great projects to come. You have probably heard about our new PURESPACE. It is a protective glass screen, ideal for restaurants, service counters and office spaces. It is a sustainable solution in direct link with sanitary regulations. A first customer has installed some in his offices and tells us he is delighted with the quality and look of the product. You will be able to see for yourself as we will also have some in our sites. Congrats to the whole team who put this project together in a short period of time, it is a wonderful product.
We take every step necessary to protect the health and safety of all our employees. We are counting on you to continue to respect hygiene measures such as frequent hand washing, physical distancing inside the buildings as well as outside during breaks. Wearing a mask when moving around is mandatory. Let’s not give up. It is a sign of respect for our colleagues, one of our values at the Novatech Group.
Invite your contacts to apply for a job with us. The manufacturing sector is exciting. And with the Novatech team, a safe and stimulating environment awaits them.
Thanks to all and have a good week. Stronger together.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
September 1, 2020
Hi everyone,
Already September and its back-to-school season. What a joy for children and perhaps a few twinges in the heart for parents who are experiencing their first school start. Fortunately, as everywhere else, the necessary measures have been put in place for the health and safety of all. We wish you a great school year.
For my part, I also feel restless, like when I was returning to school. I have started going to the office 2 to 3 times a week. When you are focused on working from home, you do not realize how good it is to see your colleagues in person and your office. I agree that we have all done a few miracles together over the last few months to ensure that we always give the best possible service to our customers. Remember, we were all hesitant to the idea of teleworking. We have adapted ourselves. Still, we must admit that this new way of working has its limits sometimes, especially for manufacturing companies. This is why we now need to find a good balance between teleworking and the office to pursue our momentum and achieve our goals. In the next few weeks, some office employees will be making a gradual return. We will adapt once again.
It is important to remember not to let our guard down, no matter where we are: frequent hand washing, keeping a distance of 6 feet, and wearing a face covering when moving around.
Let’s not give up… Orders are not giving up as well, we expect them to remain as strong until the end of the year. It is extremely motivating. We are therefore working to increase our capacity. Customers and suppliers are just as much a part of our value chain as our plants. No raw material, no product. This week, I would like to thank all the employees involved who do a colossal job to ensure that each of our sites lacks nothing. Not to mention the quality management of raw materials. Recently, you have had to do some import-export spins due to the strike at the Port of Montreal. It means a lot of teamwork and communication to actually get our boat to good port. Congrats to all of you!
Our crew is still in need of new members for plant positions. Spread the word to all your contact networks. This can pay off in a big way.
If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to speak with your supervisor.
Thanks to all and have a good week. Let’s stay vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
August 25, 2020
Hi everyone,
I hope my update finds you well. Honestly this week, there is not much news to report. I wanted to still touch base with you. It is important to stay connected.
In fact, I continue my virtual meetings with employees working from home and my occasional plant visits. It is very energizing for me to talk informally with all of you. Your questions and comments are always welcome.
Our plants are extremely busy and that is positive for us. The exceptional demand we have had over the past few months has evidently brought some turbulence to our group. This imbalance between sales and operations can create tensions. I would like to remind you that total balance is really difficult to achieve. I like to say that we have to know how to manage the imbalance. And yes, we must continue to improve. We are a group that is not afraid of challenges and our strong culture of continuous improvement is definitely an advantage over our competition.
Everyone is doing their best right now in respect of the organization’s values, and our teamwork value takes its full meaning. Today, a few of you are taking on other duties to help set our ship back on course. This agility of our crew will allow us to continually find solutions for our clients to minimize the impact.
Thank you all for your involvement. Do not hesitate to share your ideas with us. And do not forget the $1,000 referral premium. We are still looking for teammates. Let’s not give up!
We must all continue to apply the health and safety guidelines for everyone’s sake: wash our hands regularly, keep our distance from others and wear a mask where mandatory. If you have any questions or comments, contact your supervisor or our HR team.
Have a good week. Stronger together.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
August 18, 2020
Hi everyone,
Over the last few weeks, you have probably noticed, as I have, that life has resumed in a different way. I have always believed in the intelligence of the human race and how quickly we adapt. So, I am confident that researchers will succeed in developing a vaccine. In the meantime, we must follow public health guidelines to avoid another confinement.
It is better to be able to live in society with a mask than to be all reconfined at home. Yes, a mask can be uncomfortable, but if that is what it takes to continue our daily activities in complete freedom, let’s give it our best shot. Even my hamster agrees.
We have therefore decided to make it mandatory to wear a mask in all plants and offices of the Novatech Group. This decision reflects one of our values, respect. By wearing a mask, we better protect our colleagues, without forgetting frequent hand washing and physical distancing. Again, we would like to thank you for your continued collaboration.
I know that many of you are waiting for new instructions on telework. We are currently completing the analysis of the survey results and the effectiveness of some work sectors. We will get back to you in the next few days. I would like to remind you that all our decisions are directly related to our priority, which is the health of our employees and the sustainability of the organization.
Our sales for the month of August and orders for the coming weeks are still strong and this is great news. Construction projects as well as renovations are on the rise. However, it brings us some challenges to meet this incredible demand while offering a service that meets the expectations of our customers. Novatech is not afraid of challenges. You face them brilliantly and I am extremely proud of everything we have accomplished since the beginning of this pandemic.
In addition, please join me in congratulating our colleagues at RSL on Fernwood in Egg Harbor, New Jersey, who are celebrating 2 years without any accident. Congrats to all!
Thank you and have a good week. Let’s stay positive.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
August 11, 2020
I hope you had a great weekend. Welcome back to those of you who were on vacation. There is still a lot of action going on in all departments. It is really impressive to see all your efforts and agility to meet the strong demand of our markets. What sets us apart from the competition is our people who are a team ready to step out of its comfort zone to be the best in our industry. Congrats and thanks to all!
I have always believed that our proudest ambassadors are Novatech employees and you prove it once again. So far this year, 25% of the new employees we have welcomed have been referred to us by you, a record percentage. We sincerely thank you for your support in our recruitment process. It will be a true pleasure for me to meet you in person during my next plant visits.
We are still looking for candidates as passionate as you are, for all our plants. We are therefore asking for your collaboration again for another blitz with all your contact networks, relatives, friends or neighbours. For a limited time, the referral premium is doubled to $1,000.
Our priorities have not changed: all our decisions are made with the health of our employees and the sustainability of the organization in mind.
We know that mask wearing continues to be mandatory in public places and now in schools. The mask alone does not provide complete protection. It is important to consistently adhere to good hygiene and public health measures, including frequent hand washing, physical distancing and wearing a mask when the 6-feet distance is not possible. By doing so, we can help reduce the risk of infection or spreading infection to others.6^p^pIf you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact your supervisor or our HR team.6^p^pThank you and have a good week. Let’s stay vigilant for everyone’s well-being.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
July 7, 2020
Hi everyone,6^p^pI hope the beginning of the week goes well. I would like to wish a warm welcome to our new employees who joined our group. Please do not hesitate to ask for support from your supervisors and colleagues to help you integrate your functions.6^p^pWe are very satisfied with the June sales. USA, Atlantic and export sales were up compared to 2019, hence the importance for us to develop our markets outside the province of Quebec. The rest of Canada finished the month with a slight decrease, but our order books for projects are very encouraging for the upcoming months. So far, July is looking good. All our plants will remain in operation during the last two weeks of July. We will take this opportunity to catch up as much as possible and get ready for the last stretch of the year. We certainly feel a lot of pressure to deliver in the best delays to satisfy all our customers. We should look at this situation in a positive way, as this is a sign that our industry is doing well. I am confident that the entire Novatech crew will succeed in surfing this big wave with all the strength and rigour it is known for.
It is with great pleasure that I continue my virtual meetings with our office employees. In addition, I toured the plants in Beauceville, St-Agapit, St-Apollinaire and Laurier-Station last Tuesday. It was very nice to meet you all. For the moment, visits must be postponed to our sites in the United States and France, as travel outside the country is not recommended. Our priorities remain the safety of our people and the sustainability of the organization. It is very important to continue to follow the sanitary measures implemented at all our sites as well as the guidelines of public health. We count on you.
Speaking also of workplace safety, I would like to highlight an important achievement of our employees at plant B in Beauceville who are celebrating 4 years without any accident. Congratulations to all!
We are still looking for new candidates to hire at all our plants. Keep spreading the word to all your contacts.
On July 14th, it will be the turn of French people to celebrate. Happy National Day to all our colleagues at Novatech Europe!
Thanks to all our employees for your vigilance. We cannot let our guard down. Let’s stay safe.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
June 9, 2020
Hi everyone,
I hope you enjoyed your weekend. All the little things that can help us unwind give us the energy to keep going. Moreover, June is looking very good so far.
It is crazy how fast things change. Four weeks ago, our plants in the province of Quebec were almost closed and good news today, we are hiring. The one-month delay in sales could result in a more concentrated demands, mainly in Quebec due to seasonality. Add to that our success in the United States, the closure of the Masonite steel door plant in Quebec, the glass manufacturing for RSL by Novatech, and all our action plans to grow sales, the winning factors are there to see a volume increase in our plants.
Let’s all be recruiters! Our clients’ requirements in terms of quality and delivery delays have always existed and will not change, even during a pandemic. If you know people or you have brothers, sisters, children or friends who want to work in a multicultural and safe company that is innovative and aiming for growth, do not hesitate to refer them. We will be glad to welcome them. Government assistance will be available on short term, while Novatech’s offer is for the long term. And remember, the $500 referral premium is still in effect.6^p^pFor students, working in a manufacturing plant is a great formative experience on all aspects. All good memories for me, as it is where it all started for me.6^p^pThank you to our HR team for your creativity and dynamism and to all our supervisors for ensuring the integration of our new members into the Novatech family.
We count on all our employees to continue to follow safety guidelines and to share them with new employees as well.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact your supervisor or our HR team.
Thanks to all. Let’s stay positive.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
June 5, 2020
Happy Friday to all,
I would say that this week showed a bluer sky and the sea was a little calmer. The members of our crew continue to make every effort and accomplish their tasks in line with our objectives. Let’s stay positive.
You know that I like to visit our sites to meet you. Some of you were working from home when I went at a few facilities recently. I have therefore started team meetings via videoconference, which allows me to exchange with you and better understand your daily lives. There is no doubt that this is a new working method and it requires adjustments for each and everyone, we all adapt. We are sometimes confronted with equipment that may be less performant, with environments that are not ideal or with isolation. Please do not hesitate to talk to your supervisor so that we can find solutions to optimize your work experience.
More than ever, constant communication between all our teams is important. Our customers expect to be served as usual. The virus must not be a pretext for our issues. Together, let’s continue to do our utmost to maintain the quality of our services for which the Novatech Group is renowned.
My meetings with you have made me realize that we have one thing in common: the success of the company is very close to our heart for all of us. Once again, thanks to all of you.
For the weekend, let’s enjoy the beautiful nature that surrounds us. And do not forget all the safety instructions for everyone’s health.
Take good care of yourselves and your families.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
June 2, 2020
Hi everyone,
I hope you had a great weekend. You occasionally ask me how my hamster is doing. He is still around and doing well. We have known each other for quite some time now and have learned to live well together.
The commercial, high-rise and glazier sectors are strategic for the Novatech Group. You have certainly noticed that glass is increasingly omnipresent. We can see it on balconies, in buildings, in our showers, in all sizes, decorative or clear. Besides being very aesthetic, it allows natural light to pass through and it protects us. It is growing strong everywhere and that is why we have invested a lot in recent years to become the leader in these sectors.
Yesterday, June 1st, marked another important step in integrating with Laurier Architectural with the official launch of FeneVision at our Anjou site. Thank you to all our people who have worked very hard for the past few months. You will understand that normally a project of this scale requires additional efforts in parallel with daily tasks. We would like to congratulate them all for making it happen despite the turmoil of the pandemic. Last weekend was intense to ensure that everything was in line as well as transparent to our clients on Monday morning. Congrats to all!
Integration is indeed part of our group’s culture. I would like to remind you that Novatech has always been open to the world and stands out internationally. We are proud to count people of more than 30 nationalities among us. It is by uniting all our talents and skills that we will succeed in remaining leaders in our industry.
Remember to continue to follow all safety instructions. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to speak to your supervisor or our HR team.
Thanks to all. Let’s stay positive and vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
May 26, 2020
Hi everyone,
I hope you are all well. Around the world, we can feel the gradual resumption of activities. There are more and more cars on the roads, bicycles, pedestrians, people in public places. However, it is very important to keep in mind that everything is not quite the same as it was. The virus is still present. Let’s stay cautious, we must not let our guard down.
As already mentioned, we are confident about the future. However, we will have to be patient, agile and rigorous. Our sales are good under the circumstances, but our forecasts are expected to be lower than in 2019. After analyzing these results, we had to put the hiring process on hold in Canada and to proceed with a few permanent layoffs in the offices. These are difficult decisions that were unfortunately necessary.
For our employees currently on temporary layoff, the recall process will continue as the situation evolves. Rest assured that each employee will be called shortly for a follow-up. I understand very well the concerns of our people who are still at home. We are implementing all the actions required to get back to the 2019 sales level.
We must also maintain the enhanced measures at all our sites by continuing to respect physical distancing, wash our hands regularly and wear a mask if the 6-feet distance is compromised. For each and every one of us, these are the guidelines we must follow in our daily lives, wherever we are. Our goal #1 remains your safety at all times.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your supervisor or our HR team.
Once again, thanks to all our employees for your resilience and your great vigilance.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
May 15, 2020
Happy Friday everyone,
We are finishing off our 10th week of this collective project. It is getting better than the first week, it may even feel like we have managed to establish a certain routine, but let’s remain alert and vigilant.
The vast majority of sectors in our industry are reopened, and governments will prioritize seniors’ housing projects as well as construction projects of schools and hospitals. On Tuesday, Ontario will reopen new construction sites. This is good news for us, but we must continue to monitor the reaction of our customers and markets closely and adapt as we go along.
Speaking of adaptation, this week our marketing team has started webinars with customers to present our new products and marketing tools. These online sessions have been a resounding success and our customers greatly appreciate them. I am really impressed by the speed with which such a project was set up. All of our ways of doing things are currently undergoing major changes. Today, we can buy condos and houses virtually, so why not doors, patio doors and windows? Thank you and bravo to our marketing team who ensures that our customers are ready for the new season.
Our drawing contest is another great success. Thank you for your participation and especially your great creativity which was without any doubt at the rendezvous. So much so that all the drawings were selected and will be used as mosaics for the upcoming birthday cards. Congrats!
Canada is off on Monday. I wish you all a good weekend. On my side, walking and cycling are on the agenda, with every precaution and hand washing in between each getaway.
Again, thank you. Please stay safe. It’s going to be OK.
Until Tuesday…
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
May 11, 2020
The RSL team is saddened by the sudden passing of Greg Hicks. He died on Friday, May 8 from a heart attack at home and surrounded by family. Greg was a dedicated production worker at our Fernwood facility in NJ for twenty years. He was extremely loyal and committed to his job, often commuting by bus and walking the last stretch to our factory. He was an avid Giants sports fan and was a warm and kind person. He will be missed by everyone that knew him.
Ron Lewkowitz
President RSL
May 11, 2020
Hi everyone,
I hope you had a great Mother’s Day weekend. It is normal to feel impatient or have some difficulty sleeping in these turbulent times. We are all in the same boat. Mental health experts suggest that we talk about it and that we connect. Take the time to visit their website by clicking on the following link: Get Real. And remember, if you need someone to talk to, we are there for you.
Our thoughts today are with our people on temporary layoffs. We understand very well your desire to come back to work and that time may seem long for you. I really cannot promise you anything at this point, except to assure you that we are making every effort to increase our sales in all our markets and product families. It is hard to make predictions, but if consumers who cannot travel would decide to change their windows, doors and patio doors, it would be beneficial for us. Let’s all be passionate salespersons of Novatech products. The entire construction industry in Quebec is reopening this morning. I remain confident even if the challenge to reach our 2019 volumes is big.
For our employees who are called to any of our sites, we count on you to apply the safety instructions:
1. Always keep a physical distance of 6 feet from other people.
2. Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds.
3. Limit or avoid stopping at other locations on your way to work. If you absolutely must do so, follow instructions 1 and 2 rigorously.
With the beginning of the gradual deconfinement, it is extremely important to remember that all supplier visits, both at our sites and theirs, must be limited to essential activities related to maintaining our operations. All meetings that can be held virtually must be privileged. If you have any questions or issues in this regard, please contact Francis Bélanger.
Thank you to all. Let’s stay vigilant. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
May 8, 2020
Hi everyone,
Happy Friday everyone,
We are finishing up our 9th week of turbulence. We have adjusted our lives and work in a different way, and above all we have changed our habits. I know that it is not easy every day, but the resilience, adaptation and intelligence of human beings fascinate me as always. That is why I am very confident about the future.
Moreover, I would like to remind you that our objectives since Day 1 are the safety of our employees and the sustainability of the Novatech Group, and so far, we are meeting them both. As I have already mentioned, we are lucky to be part of a good industry. Let’s stay positive.
I visited two other plants this week and I was again very impressed with all the measures in place. I felt safe. The smiles of the people and seeing them happy to be at work gave me the energy to push the machine harder. I will continue my plant tour and am looking forward to meeting you. I am proud of all our teams around the world who are working with dedication, tirelessly, to reach these new standards. Thanks and congrats to all of you!
I would like to take this opportunity to wish all the mothers in the world a happy Mother’s Day and, more particularly, to my own. I will not be able to see her in person, but I will call her for sure.
Remember that the risk is still there, we all need to be careful if we have to go to public places. Keeping a safe distance and frequent hand washing is extremely important for everyone’s health.
Take good care of yourselves and your loved ones. It’s going to be OK.
See you on Monday…
Thank you to all. Let’s stay safe. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
May 6, 2020
Hi everyone,
I hope you are doing well. As I mentioned to you last Thursday, I am committed to keeping you informed of the situation on a regular basis and will continue to do so. With the gradual relaunch of operations, I need to change the frequency a bit and will get back to you with the situation update 2 to 3 times a week.
It is still early in the month, but the trend in orders seems to be maintaining its pace in all our product families and markets. Rest assured that we are monitoring this closely.
I would like to talk to you today about one of our values, innovation. A few years ago, we brought together teams of technicians, designers and engineers to develop top-quality products that make the Novatech Group a supplier of choice around the world.
Our product development process as well as the Product Orientation Committee are back since a few weeks now. Each year, we are targeting 25% of sales from our new products in less than 4 years. This is an ambitious percentage that we have achieved many times or even surpassed. The competition is very strong and often with really important players. Therefore, this innovation strategy allows us to stand out and be recognized as one of the most innovative players in our industry.
Here are a few examples of our value-added products: high performance steel doors, Urbania/Loft aluminum patio doors, aluminum/PVC Element patio doors, flush glass panels, all decorative glass and steel panel designs and many others on the drawing board… Thanks to our teams who work with passion and determination, innovation is a strategic axis for our future.
It is always nice to see our fellow workers again, but we must never forget to respect the 6 feet distance and wash our hands frequently. These are rules to be followed for a long time to come. We must get used to it, it is our best protection.
Please do not hesitate to contact your supervisor or our HR team if you have any questions or comments.
Thank you to all. Let’s stay safe. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
May 4
Hi everyone,
I hope you had a good weekend. I am still impressed to see the amount of people walking and cycling versus the number of cars on the streets. I have read an article on animals that are taking their place back. We can actually notice a greater variety of birds and hear them sing… without any background noise.
In March, we were facing the unknown. We had no idea when and which regions would be closed, how to react to protect ourselves, how long this would last, and so on.
At that time, we anticipated that our April sales would be at approximately 30% compared to 2019. The fact that markets in all Canadian provinces stayed open, that Quebec and France reopened 2 weeks ago, and with record months for our U.S. door sales and those of RSL, we ended April at 55% compared to 2019. This is not much when we are used to exceeding the previous year’s numbers, but it is much better than we expected. Do not forget to look at the glass half full. For the month of May, we expect our sales to reach 75% compared to last year. Let’s not give up…
Congratulations and kudos to all our people who keep believing and a special thanks to our supervisors in all our divisions who have been our first responders since the beginning and who, in addition to their work, must ensure that the measures are properly followed.
The safety of our employees remains our top priority. Public health authorities maintain that frequent hand washing, reduced contact and social distancing are the best preventive measures against the virus. Thank you all for taking these instructions very seriously and continuing to apply all of them wherever you are, even if you have decided to wear a mask. We are counting on you. We must not let our guard down.
If you have any questions, concerns or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact your supervisor or our HR team.
Thank you to all. Let’s remain vigilant. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 30
Hi everyone,
This is our 35th business day of storm. I would say that we have managed to get through some big waves, however, prudence remains our best ally. On the road, it can look like everything is back to normal and it feels good. Businesses will be reopening and the economy should gradually get back on track.
Our 1,000 customers all count on us to receive their products on time. To do so, we must operate safely at each of our sites, this is extremely important. And each of us must continue to protect ourselves from external risks for the health of all our colleagues. Let’s remain very vigilant and on guard.
To stand out, the Novatech Group is fueled by a fundamental trio: its mission, its vision and its values. The mission defines us, the vision shows our plans with the goals to be reached and the values optimize our behaviors. It is particularly important to remember all these during difficult times. Just like a ship’s crew, we need to know where we are going, why, and work together even if it is not always easy to get to port.
Our mission
Novatech creates and manufactures architectural products with an innovative design.
Our vision
The Novatech team develops new markets while being recognized for innovation, quality and execution.
Our values
Environment ○ Innovation ○ Professionalism ○ Respect ○ Health and safety ○ Teamwork
I am committed to keeping you informed of the situation on a regular basis and will continue to do so. With the gradual relaunch of operations, you will understand that I need to change the frequency a bit and skip a few days here and there. I will therefore get back to you with the situation update on Monday…
Continue to take good care of yourselves and your families.
Again, thank you to all. Let’s not give up. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 29
Hi everyone,
I remember very well Monday, March 23rd, when the government of Quebec announced the closure of non-essential businesses. Since the majority of our facilities are in the province of Quebec, we had to react quickly. Yesterday, the reopening of the entire construction industry was announced for Monday, May 11th. This is great news. We can see more light at the end of the tunnel.
Several employees have been called back to work over the past few days and we will continue to do so in a very gradual pace, according to the government directives. We will therefore have more of us on board to ensure that the great Novatech ship is brought safely to port.
The management team is very confident and proud of all the measures already in place. I have in fact received comments from employees who feel safe in our plants. It tells me once again that our teams have done a good job. I am also proud of all the preparations that have been made for the recovery. I told you that we would be ready and we are ready, thanks to the strength of our team. Bravo and thank you to all!
The battle against COVID-19 is not won yet, but today, we know how to behave to prevent the spread. So, we must continue to live this way until the experts find a vaccine. We must not lower our efforts and respect all hygiene measures and social distancing instructions.
Please do not hesitate to contact your supervisor or our HR team if you have any questions or any recommendations. We are always open to suggestions related to continuous improvement, which is another one of our strengths at Novatech.
Thank you to all. Let’s stay confident. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 27
Hi everyone,
Normal life will be different from the one we knew not so long ago. Gradual deconfinements will be starting all over the world. Some people worry more than others. In fact, it is normal and correct to have doubts, it forces us to be more cautious and aware of the instructions to follow. Together, we will know how to adapt to this new reality by staying positive.
I want to reassure you once more that, at Novatech, we are ready. We will rigorously maintain all required sanitary measures. For positions where physical distancing is more difficult, additional measures are in place. We will continue to take the necessary actions to ensure your safety, this is our priority.
Reusable masks will be available to you on each of our sites. For those who wish to wear one, it is extremely important to understand that:
• Wearing a mask is an additional item, but it does not immunize you.
• You will need to follow specific instructions for putting it on and taking it off.
• And you must continue to apply the rules of hand washing and physical distancing.
Again yesterday, we had a very nice day of orders. Our sales representatives are ready to attack the markets to build a good order backlog for the coming months. Our sales on the American side continue to perform well. This is very encouraging. We would like to thank our customer service team for their usual support and dedication so that we continue to offer the best to our customers.
I receive emails from employees regularly telling me that they cannot wait to get back to work. We are looking forward to seeing you too. I am asking you to be patient, we are doing our best.
If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact your supervisor or our HR team. We are there for you.
Thank you to all. Let’s stay positive. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 27
Hi everyone,
I hope you enjoyed the weekend and were able to take your mind off things. All the trivial activities we somehow forgot about are more than ever necessary to stimulate our hamster in finding good ideas and lots of solutions that will help us move forward and meet the challenges ahead.
In the last days, many of our plants have started operating: doorglass and patio doors in Sainte-Julie, plant C in Beauceville, Saint-Apollinaire and Novavision. And our plant in Anjou starts today. It means that 100% of our sites are now in operation, at various capacity levels. This is excellent news. To all of you who are back at work, we wish you the best return.
The recent confirmed orders in the whole group are encouraging despite the circumstances and we continue to follow the evolution on a daily basis. The relaunch plans we have put forward will enable us to outperform the markets and beat the competition. Together, we will get there!
I repeat that our #1 priority is your safety. We must continue to apply the instructions recommended by the public health authorities:
- Maintain physical distancing of 6 feet from each other.
- Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds.
- Limit or avoid stopping at other locations on your way to work.
If you absolutely have to do so, follow instructions 1 and 2 above rigorously.
If you have any symptoms or the slightest doubt, please stay home and notify immediately your supervisor or our HR team.
Thank you to all. Let’s stay vigilant. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 24
Happy Friday to you all,
A friend of mine in France gave me a few years ago this lithograph that I have in my office. When I saw it again when I was there this week, I thought that it somehow represents this storm we are all facing right now, with waves that may seem insurmountable to us.
Each and every crew member must make the most of his or her expertise, focus on all measures to apply and accomplish each task with rigour and courage so that we can get through this storm together.
The great Novatech ship will make it safely to port, proud and stronger.
Rain or shine, enjoy the weekend. Take walks, move, dance while listening to your favorite music. It can relax and energize you at the same time. It is very important for your physical health and mind set as well!
A sincere thanks to you all. It’s going to be OK.
Take good care of yourselves and your loved ones. See you Monday…
Thank you to all. Let’s stay connected. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 23
Hi everyone,
Today, I would like to talk to you about teleworking. Five weeks ago already, we had to react quickly and get out of our comfort zone at the same time. I have never thought that we could be effective with more than 80 employees teleworking. I was not a fan of this working method, especially for a manufacturing company, but I must admit that I am pleasantly surprised.
I know, it is not quite the same. We sure miss the energy of the group that empowers us when meeting in person. We need to be able to reconnect in a different way, as this is our reality today and possibly the new world of tomorrow. It is truly inspiring to see that the Novatech Group knows how to adapt at all levels in this unprecedented situation. Thank you to all our teleworkers for your usual professionalism and dedication.
By the way, did you take the time to set up a comfortable workspace? I invite you to visit our web page to get some useful tips. These might save you from a bad back pain, so not welcome right now.
For those of you who have not yet been called back to work, rest assured that we are not forgetting you. We are doing our utmost to increase the number of employees at our sites as soon as we can do so. Our orders continue to increase on a very gradual basis. I will share more details on our sales figures at the end of April.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call on your supervisor, someone from our HR team or your Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Thank you to all. Let’s stay connected. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 21
Hi everyone,
Happy Tuesday to you all,
I am delighted to receive encouraging emails or questions from you. We really appreciate hearing from you, please do not hesitate to do so. Any questions or comments deserve our attention and we will get back to you within the best delays.
For the first time in four weeks, all territories are showing sales. This is below our 2019 numbers, no surprise there, but it is slowly shifting gears everywhere. I’d rather see the glass half full than half empty.
I would like to thank our sales, quotation and marketing teams who are currently working with reduced staff. They are ramping up and thinking out of the box to find new customers by videoconference. It makes us think and do things differently for sure. We are therefore developing tools adapted to this new reality, as our representatives will not be able to visit clients for the upcoming months or so. We will be ahead of the parade (virtually that is). Congratulations and all the best to all!
Whether in our plants, in our physical or virtual offices, we will continue to operate with all the professionalism that has made the Novatech Group’s reputation, while ensuring safety for the benefit of our employees, suppliers and customers.
Many artists from the cultural community are also proving their ability to adapt to what we are going through right now, and it brings comfort to a lot of people. You too could put your creativity to good use. Watch for our contest that will be launched soon…
Thank you to all. Let’s stay connected. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 20
Hi everyone,
I hope you had a good weekend. It is somehow impressive to see more walkers on the streets than cars. Our planet will certainly be taking a deep breath of oxygen…
This week, we will be watching up close the start of the residential construction market in the province of Quebec. We will be adjusting according to our customer orders. We hope that renovation and commercial sectors will restart their activities very soon as well.
For the moment, we have good reasons to believe that markets are likely to be down. We are therefore moving forward right away with our relaunch plans to outperform the markets and beat the competition. Our project leaders are ready to seize every opportunity and take action.
I have already mentioned in my presentations to you that we all have to be sales representatives and recruiters, and now more than ever. We are extremely proud of our products. Let’s all be salespeople for the future of the Novatech Group, our future for all of us.
Each of us also has a role to play in reducing the risk of the virus spreading, wherever we are. We must continue to think about health and safety, it is very important: stay 6 feet away from other people and wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds. Let’s not give up!
Many of you visit our web page. Please continue to refer to it for information on safety measures and the various programs and tools available to you. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, do not hesitate to contact your supervisor or our HR team. We are there for you.
Thank you to all. Let’s stay positive. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 17
Hi everyone,
It’s Friday… For those who are home more often these days, we sometimes wonder what day it is. But yes, the weekend is already here!
Go outside, watch old movies, listen to music, exercise. And do not forget to follow all the guidelines for your safety and others. It is the best way to keep our hamster quiet, otherwise it could disturb our sleep for the next few weeks.
We have received about 30 containers of glass since the end of March. Our teams on site had to be very creative in setting up the necessary space to properly store these materials that are essential to manufacture our products. The good news: we have enough stock to serve our customers and beat our competitors when the markets recover. Rest assured that we are working on this.
Furthermore, you need to know that a colossal amount of work has been done at each of our sites. Our HR and operation teams are working hard every day to modify the various workstations, both in the plants and offices, so they are and stay safe in the long run. It is very impressive and makes me very proud, congrats! We sure count on the cooperation of each employee who will be on site to rigorously follow the safety procedures, which will be available to you at all times.
Again, a sincere thanks to all.
Take care of yourselves and your families. It’s going to be OK.
Until Monday…
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 16
Hi everyone,
Spring is here indeed! As every single year, it continues to do what it does best. It is the force of nature. At Novatech, it is the strength of our culture that will also push us to do what we do best. Humans can adapt and are very resilient. We must remain positive.
I was recently telling you about an essential link of our supply chain. Novatech deals today with more than 500 suppliers. No spring break on this side…
We must continue to negotiate agreements, modify certain orders, look out for the best suppliers according to our needs and requirements, coordinate all logistics related to the receipt of merchandise depending on the demands of our operating sites, and so on. Thanks to our entire procurement and purchasing team for your work and professionalism during this extraordinary period.
Remember that all employees who are required to report to one of our sites must comply with the instructions recommended by the public health authorities:
- Maintain social distancing of 6 feet.
- Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds.
- Limit or avoid stopping at other locations on your way to work. If you absolutely have to do so, follow instructions 1 and 2 above rigorously.
However, if you have symptoms or the slightest doubt, please stay home and notify your supervisor or our HR team immediately.
We count on you. Your health remains our priority.
Thank you to all. Let’s stay confident. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 15
Hi everyone,
Yesterday, we contacted all of our major customers in the province of Quebec to plan for the gradual return, starting on Monday. They are all pleased with this return and, like us, in line with all hygiene guidelines to ensure that their employees work in a safe environment. Most of them will relaunch their activities with a capacity ranging from 30% to 50%.
Let me point out that the renovation market is still not open in Quebec. Only residential construction sites with deliverables by July 31st will be functional; there will be no new projects for the moment. Renovation represents a large percentage of our sales at Novatech. We therefore continue to closely monitor the situation and to stay in touch with our customers of this sector.
We would like to thank customers in all our markets for their confidence and partnership over the past weeks and those to come. Together, we will be stronger.
Over the past month, we have all had to adjust in many aspects of our lives. Our schedules have been affected, but establishing a routine can go a long way in helping us keep some control on the situation. Following the guidelines of public authorities is one of them to stay physically healthy. The emotional factor should not be neglected, this is just as important. If you are feeling more stressed out or anxious, please do not hesitate to seek advice via your Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
We are all in this together and we are there if you need us. You have questions or concerns? Contact your supervisor or our HR team. You can find the contact information to reach our HR team on our web page and much more… Refer to it on a regular basis.
Thank you to all. Let’s stay vigilant. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 14
Hi everyone,
Easter break 2020 will be long remembered. I hope it gave you a chance to recharge your batteries, as we are still going to need full energy for the next few weeks… Let’s not give up!
Good news this morning: residential construction will restore its activities as of Monday, April 20th for all construction sites in the province of Quebec that have deliverables by July 31st. However, we must be aware that this will be very gradual. We are therefore working on our relaunch plan on a step-by-step basis. We will be ready and able to adapt to the pace of the recovery.
As mentioned last week, we had decided to pursue some of our strategic projects. To do so, about 20 employees will be called back to work this week, most of them teleworking, to support the teams already working on these projects.
As planned, Novatech Europe has started this morning at 40% of its capacity. We wish our French colleagues a safe return.
We currently have a total count of 250 employees working for the Novatech Group. The health of our employees remains our priority. All precautionary measures have been taken to ensure a safe working environment for all employees in our facilities that are operating with reduced staff. Thanks again to our teams who have put everything in place and who continue to look into it tirelessly.
We must constantly remind ourselves of the guidelines: stay 6 feet away from other people and wash our hands regularly. This is for everyone’s well-being. If anything prevents you from practicing social distancing, please notify your supervisor or our HR team immediately. We will find the necessary solutions.
Thank you to all. Let’s stay positive. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 10
Hi everyone,
The first word I wrote to you was a month ago already. We have had to adapt to this unprecedented situation and we must continue to apply all the recommendations and security measures of governments. Our constant efforts can make all the difference. Let’s stay positive and very vigilant.
A helping hand can also make a difference at this time. The Novatech Group is very pleased to have been able to make its humble contribution. We have donated N95 masks that we had in stock to hospitals to help protect their staff members against this invisible enemy. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to these workers in our communities for their incredible dedication to the benefit of our health and safety.
I wish you a very Happy Easter as you find ways to connect remotely with your loved ones. We will celebrate differently this year, no doubt about that. Take this time to offer a nice piece of chocolate to your hamster. It might help calm it down, if not comfort it a little. By the way, I would like to suggest an idea I had: you could try to find a nickname to your hamster to better tame it, who knows?
Health and safety to all! Take good care. It’s going to be OK.
See you Tuesday…
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 9
Hi everyone,
The Quebec government announced yesterday that residential construction should be relaunched progressively in the coming days or weeks. It will certainly be very gradual, but we will be one step ahead since our plants have continued to operate. At Novatech, we are lucky to be part of an industry considered as a priority for the economy. We will be ready.
Our teams have already implemented all the necessary security measures. These measures, as well as all distancing and hand-washing guidelines, will have to be followed with the utmost vigilance for the health and safety of each and everyone. We will have to get used to living within the 6-feet distance from one another, we might still have a few months to go.
As planned, Novatech Europe will gradually start to manufacture steel panels as of Tuesday, April 14th. This is very good news. We wish a safe return to our French colleagues, in compliance with all the health safety standards recommended by the government.
On the finance side, our team is currently ramping up their efforts, with all the rigor they are known for, to ensure the management of payables with clients and receivables with suppliers. They also have regular discussions with the banks, and above all, they closely monitor our cash flow on a daily basis to ensure Novatech’s sustainability. They are my aircraft instruments during this turbulent period. Please join me in sincerely thanking them.
Once again, I am confident that the strength of our team will allow us to get through this particularly eventful moment with brio.
Let’s not give up. Remember that instructions from public health authorities can be found on our web page, as well as information about government programs for employees. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact your supervisor or our HR team.
Thank you all. Let’s stay positive. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 8
Hi everyone,
The Quebec government announced yesterday that residential construction should be relaunched progressively in the coming days or weeks. It will certainly be very gradual, but we will be one step ahead since our plants have continued to operate. At Novatech, we are lucky to be part of an industry considered as a priority for the economy. We will be ready.
Our teams have already implemented all the necessary security measures. These measures, as well as all distancing and hand-washing guidelines, will have to be followed with the utmost vigilance for the health and safety of each and everyone. We will have to get used to living within the 6-feet distance from one another, we might still have a few months to go.
As planned, Novatech Europe will gradually start to manufacture steel panels as of Tuesday, April 14th. This is very good news. We wish a safe return to our French colleagues, in compliance with all the health safety standards recommended by the government.
On the finance side, our team is currently ramping up their efforts, with all the rigor they are known for, to ensure the management of payables with clients and receivables with suppliers. They also have regular discussions with the banks, and above all, they closely monitor our cash flow on a daily basis to ensure Novatech’s sustainability. They are my aircraft instruments during this turbulent period. Please join me in sincerely thanking them.
Once again, I am confident that the strength of our team will allow us to get through this particularly eventful moment with brio.
Let’s not give up. Remember that instructions from public health authorities can be found on our web page, as well as information about government programs for employees. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact your supervisor or our HR team.
Thank you all. Let’s stay positive. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 7
Hi everyone,
One day at a time, we will get through it. The light at the end of the tunnel is not that far away. Other countries that were in this situation before us are slowly, but surely, getting back on track. Let’s stay positive.
I mentioned yesterday the markets that are pursuing their manufacturing operations, which are considered essential, and Western Canada is one of them as well. The Quebec market is the only one that has put the construction industry on pause and our Quebec customers have had to suspend their operations too. We continue however to closely monitor the situation with them on a regular basis.
After this announcement of the Quebec government about construction sites, we decided to set aside all our innovation, marketing, investment and IT projects. Last week, we restarted the implementation of Oracle’s financial section at Laurier Architectural. Many steps can be worked on remotely. This project will allow us to be connected to the same system upon relaunch. This a key element in the integration of the new members of our Novatech family. I would like to thank our entire IT team for installing, in record time, the equipment allowing several people in the group to telework.
We are currently analyzing other projects to be relaunched in the coming weeks. I will keep you informed in my next words.
In the meantime, please continue to follow all safety instructions recommended by public health authorities that are posted on our web page. Where you can also find government programs available to employees and contact information of our HR people for any questions or comments you may have.
Thank you all. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 6
Hi everyone,
I hope you were able to take your mind off things this weekend. On my side, I must admit that I had to deal with my hamster, but I am feeling good. All the members of the executive and management committees are also doing well. We have all the energy we need to come back stronger for and with you.
Yesterday, the Quebec government pushed back the reopening of businesses providing goods and services considered non-essential until May 4th. Therefore, the construction industry will not be able to restart before that date, but we remain confident that it will be a priority for the government when announcing the relaunch.
For now, only the Ontario, Atlantic and USA markets continue to operate with our products. The government announcement of putting the construction industry on pause necessarily has an impact on our sales forecasts, which is expected to be at -75% for the month of April. We are therefore continuing our operations as recommended with reduced staff. Thanks again to our employees for their discipline and rigour in applying all the required instructions.
Which brings me back to my first communications: our priorities remain the health and safety of our people and the sustainability of the organization. We must ensure that our group remains healthy and ready to meet the demand when the relaunch is confirmed.
Let us remind you to visit our new web page, exclusive to Novatech employees, where you can find information about government programs for employees and much more.
Do not hesitate to contact your supervisor or our HR team if you have any questions or comments.
Thank you all. Let’s stay confident. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 3
Hi everyone,
Today is day 10 of the temporary suspension of our operations in the province of Quebec. This situation is putting our patience to the test for sure and we are going to get through it.
Remember how many times we have told ourselves how fast time flies and, right now, it seems like a long time ago. That does not stop our dear hamster from running at full speed. We must try to manage it somehow.
Over the weekend, take the time for a good breath of fresh air, while respecting social distancing and all safety precautions, and wash your hands when coming back home. Then, call someone to stay connected with family and friends. It is good for our mind.
We had our virtual steering committee meeting this morning as planned. Our relaunch team will start working next week to determine projects to be put forward. We must be ready for when the Quebec government authorizes construction activities.
All members of the executive committee join me to thank the whole Novatech family in Canada, the United States and France for your resilience. We owe it to ourselves to apply all necessary precautions everywhere and, knowing that you do so while maintaining such a positive attitude, makes us all prouder than ever.
We would like to remind you to visit our new web page, exclusive to Novatech employees, where you can find all the hygiene and prevention measures recommended by public health authorities.
Thanks again to all. Take good care of yourselves and your families.
See you Monday… It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 3
Dear friends and coworkers,
I have spoken to most of you and also wish to put in writing my thanks, appreciation and admiration for the tremendous job that you are all doing. Please share this message with the rest of your team whose emails I do not have. These are extraordinary times that no one could predict or fully prepare for. Nevertheless, RSL’s leadership did plan for the uncertainties of an emergency. Our Business Continuity Plan prepared us in many ways to react quickly and intelligently to an emergency. Now we are adapting that Plan for a health crisis.
Your safety continues to be our top priority. Therefore, our office is working remotely and doing an incredible job of fulfilling all purchasing, accounting, marketing, and customer service tasks smoothly. And Novatech has assisted us in establishing stringent safety procedures for our production facilities. Our team in Ohio continues to do an amazing job fulfilling our customerís orders. I truly describe them as loyal, brave and dedicated. Orders are surprisingly high and our customers rely on us now more than ever before. As our competitors close their facilities, RSL becomes even more valued in everyone’s eyes. Our coworker that contracted COVID19 has recovered and is now resting at home. On Monday, if everyone else from Fernwoodís production team stays healthy, we will reopen that facility.
Since most of Novatech’s facilities remain closed by order of the Quebec government, except for a few that can still supply the U.S. market, we are the major success story in the Novatech Group. You should be incredibly proud of that accomplishment. You deserve all of the credit! Our success is resting fully on your shoulders and I urge you all to maintain the safest possible strategies to remain healthy. We anticipate that next week, we will be able to establish a website dedicated to sharing news with all Novatech and RSL employees.
With sincere thanks,
Ron Lewkowitz
President RSL
RSL update
I hope that everyone is healthy, safe, and finds rest and relaxation this weekend!
I am sorry to inform you that a temp employee at our Fernwood facility developed COVID19. We have no way of knowing whether he got infected at our factory or during the past 14 days when he was supposed to be self-quarantined. Therefore, we have decided to remain closed in NJ for another week. This is unfortunate for our customers who rely on our supply, and our employees who rely on work for income. Unemployment checks are not available yet. Hopefully, this time next week we can offer more positive news.
Thankfully, our Ohio facility remains open and is doing an incredible job of supplying our customers. Orders remain astonishingly strong and our Ohio production team worked 10 hours of OT today(remember, we work four 10 hour days weekly) and plan on another day of OT tomorrow. Bo Campbell and his dedicated team deserve our appreciation and respect!
So, again, stay safe and have a wonderful weekend!
April 2
Hi everyone,
Good news: our colleague from the United States, whom I was telling you about on Monday, feels much better and his family is doing well too.
We care deeply about our employees and customers and the impact it may have on them in the current situation. As I mentioned from the beginning, we must all adapt and do everything necessary to ensure the health and safety of each and everyone.
We must continue to be extremely vigilant:
- Maintain social distancing of 3 to 6 feet.
- Wash our hands regularly for 20 seconds.
- Limit or even avoid stopping at other locations on our way to work. If we absolutely have to do so, follow the same instructions as mentioned above.
Today, I would also like to acknowledge the work of our suppliers who continue to provide us with raw materials required for manufacturing our products. Their partnership is very important and they too have had to adapt and implement the recommended precautions. They are essential links in the chain of our organization as they support us in maintaining our customer partnerships as well. Some clients in the province of Quebec have started operating again, and do so with all required safety measures.
Our management committee will reconvene, starting this week by videoconference, to work on our recovery plan, allowing us to be ready when the Quebec Government relaunches activities in the construction industry.
We are all together in this collective project and do not forget that we are here for you. If you have any questions or comments, please contact your supervisor or our HR team.
Thank you all. Let’s stay confident. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
April 1
Hi everyone,
Yesterday, I mentioned the importance of staying connected, all together. To be even more so, a web page was created by and for Novatech employees to keep you informed on the latest developments and remind you of hygiene and prevention measures recommended by public health authorities.
This new web page is currently available to our employees in the province of Quebec and we expect to be able to offer it to all our employees in Canada and the United States by the end of the week. I will continue to send you my daily word, and it will also be posted on our web page. Congrats for this initiative, great teamwork! Communication is crucial in these more difficult times. The strength of our team, driven by our values, will make all the difference.
We need to ensure that we operate, in compliance with all safety measures, and stay the leader of our industry. Our sales team is in constant communication with all our customers, as essential markets outside the province of Quebec and of the United States recognized as such by governments are still in operation.
Our colleagues in France at Novatech Europe and our partner CETIH have suspended their operations for three weeks now, as required by the government. Starting April 14th, a step-by-step return to business is still planned for the moment, again in compliance with all health safety standards, and depending on directives to be announced by the French government.
We must really keep up with the basic precautions: stay 3 to 6 feet away from other people and wash our hands regularly. We also repeat these to you on our web page. Let’s do it for the health and safety of everyone, one of our fundamental values at the Novatech Group.
Once again, thanks to all of you. Let’s stay positive. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
March 31
Hi everyone,
I would like to reiterate my thanks to all the employees at our Calgary, Toronto, Quebec and USA facilities who continue to operate with all the necessary precautions in place, while following all required instructions. The production with reduced staff that has started at four of our plants in Quebec is going well.
We take very seriously our responsibility to ensure that we continue our operations in a safe environment, as recommended by public health authorities. The health and safety of all our employees remains our priority.
This particular situation may take longer than we would like. We therefore need to stay connected all together, confident and positive. Each and every one of us must continue to apply hygiene and prevention measures to avoid contamination both at work and at home. By doing so, we can reduce the spread of the virus and successfully counter it.
When the economy recovers, it will surely be more difficult for some sectors than others. Governments will certainly want to stimulate markets, the construction industry included. Our family at the Novatech Group will be the first one ready to jumpstart the machine again.
We also want to remind you that it is important to be attentive to your reactions to the stress or anxiety you may be feeling in the current situation. You can call on specialists or your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for sound advice based on your needs.
Remember that we are here for you and we count on you to share your questions, comments or any concerns you may have. Please do not hesitate to contact your supervisor or our HR team.
Let’s stay united in this great collective project.
Thank you all. It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
March 30
Hi everyone,
I hope you were able to take some time this past weekend to talk to your family and friends by phone or by videoconference. It is good to know that our people are doing well.
We made sure, over the weekend, that all the necessary measures were put into place at our facilities of Patio Doors in Beauceville, NCG in St-Agapit, Doors in Ste-Julie and Laurier Architectural to welcome employees this morning. Thanks to all of those who worked really hard to provide a safe environment as per all instructions of the public health authorities.
The Quebec government has authorized us to maintain our essential activities with reduced staff teams. These four plants can therefore manufacture very small volumes by applying all the required guidelines.
All employees who are asked to report to one of our sites must follow the instructions:
- Always stay 3 to 6 feet away from other people.
- Wash your hands regularly.
- Limit or even avoid stopping at other locations on your way to work. If you absolutely have to do so, follow the same instructions as mentioned above.
Over the weekend, we unfortunately received confirmation of a first case. A colleague at our plant in Fernwood, USA, received a positive test result. We had suspended operations at that plant on March 23 as a precautionary measure, in strict compliance with all required protocols. We are following the situation closely with him and his family.
Communicating information is more crucial than ever, as much on our side as on yours. Just like us, continue to follow the recommendations of official government and public health sites. We must be very careful with everything we read on the web or on social media.
Remember, if you have symptoms or have any doubts, do not report to work. Contact your supervisor or our HR team.
Thank you all. Let’s stay vigilant… It’s going to be OK.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
Thank you for your continued dedication and support! We are a smoothly functioning company because of our advanced planning and your tremendous efforts.
Our corporate office continues to work remotely from home and keeping all accounting, purchasing and customer service efficient.
RSL Ohio continues to work and fill customer orders with very quick lead time! We truly appreciate their dedicated work!!
Fernwood continues to be closed. One of our employees tested positive for COVID19 and is continuing to get hospital care in NJ; we sincerely hope for his full recovery. All of our FW employees are staying home in self quarantine and the Atlantic County Department of Public Health is in touch with any of our employees that commuted to work or was in contact with him or his son. We will not reopen Fernwood until we are certain that it is safe, that no one has experienced any symptoms of COVID19, and the self- quarantine period is completed. Please stay safe and in your homes.
I spent much of the past weekend calling all employees at the office, Fernwood and OH to ensure that they and their families are feeling well, have enough food, and are staying safe. This coming Thursday, normal payroll will be sent with an additional pay increase retroactive to Jan 1. Good timing, I am sure.
I have attached a copy of NJís Unemployment form and below is a link to apply. Dean or Steve should email or text this message with that form so that everyone that is not working can apply. Please go to https://myunemployment.nj.gov/labor/myunemployment/covidinstructions.shtml to set up an account and follow the specific instructions for filing due to COVID-19 listed on that page. Louise will do the same with Ohioís application for Ohio production workers.
There are indications that mortgage and car loan companies are allowing employees to delay payments. I urge you all to contact your bank or car loan offices to see if you can avoid payments temporarily. Federal tax returns have also been delayed to July 15. If there are additional opportunities for savings, we will pass them along.
Louise, Dean, Bo or Steve should forward this message to all production workers. Please stay safe and let Steve, Bo, Louise or Dean know if you have any further questions. I would also appreciate if you would text us if you or anyone in your family feels sick.
Ron Lewkowitz
President RSL
March 27, 2020
Subject: Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Situation update
Hi everyone,
Have you noticed that, as days go by, the social distancing that we must all respect brings us somehow closer together? If we put all of this into perspective, it forces us to rethink our personal priorities. Rest assured that, on our side, your health as well as our company’s is still our first priority.
Our executive committee continues to meet twice a day, but via Zoom, as the situation is constantly evolving. We are in communication with governments, the business world and all associations to stay well informed and take the best decisions for everyone. We also are in daily contact with our customers to minimize the impact and continue to support them, as we always have.
We are all out of our comfort zone these days. Try to enjoy this period by focusing on the things you can do. Volunteering, for example, if you are able to do so. It can ease your mind to know that you can still have some control over the situation by helping out, while of course, rigorously following all recommendations of public health authorities.
Take also some time to listen to music, cook and connect to Zoom or another kind of platform to exchange with your families and friends.
I am very confident that, with the strength of our team, we will continue to make every effort necessary for the success of our collective project.
Once again, I sincerely thank you all. Take care of yourselves and your families.
See you Monday…
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
Thank you for your continued dedication and support! We are a smoothly functioning company because of our advanced planning and your tremendous efforts. Our corporate office continues to work remotely from home and keeping all accounting, purchasing and customer service efficient.
RSL Ohio continues to work and fill customer orders with very quick lead time! We truly appreciate their dedicated work!!
Fernwood continues to be closed. One of our employees tested positive for COVID19 and is continuing to get hospital care in NJ; we sincerely hope for his full recovery. All of our FW employees are staying home in self quarantine and the Atlantic County Department of Public Health is in touch with any of our employees that commuted to work or was in contact with him or his son. We will not reopen Fernwood until we are certain that it is safe, that no one has experienced any symptoms of COVID19, and the self- quarantine period is completed. Please stay safe and in your homes.
I spent much of the past weekend calling all employees at the office, Fernwood and OH to ensure that they and their families are feeling well, have enough food, and are staying safe. This coming Thursday, normal payroll will be sent with an additional pay increase retroactive to Jan 1. Good timing, I am sure.
I have attached a copy of NJ’s Unemployment form and below is a link to apply. Dean or Steve should email or text this message with that form so that everyone that is not working can apply. Please go to https://myunemployment.nj.gov/labor/myunemployment/covidinstructions.shtml to set up an account and follow the specific instructions for filing due to COVID-19 listed on that page.
Louise will do the same with Ohio’s application for Ohio production workers.
There are indications that mortgage and car loan companies are allowing employees to delay payments. I urge you all to contact your bank or car loan offices to see if you can avoid payments temporarily. Federal tax returns have also been delayed to July 15. If there are additional opportunities for savings, we will pass them along.
Louise, Dean, Bo or Steve should forward this message to all production workers. Please stay safe and let Steve, Bo, Louise or Dean know if you have any further questions. I would also appreciate if you would text us if you or anyone in your family feels sick.
Follow-up message
I would like to give you an update for the end of this extraordinary week.
- We have shut RSL’s corporate office; customer service, purchasing and accounting are all working remotely from home. Our team is safe and working productively. Hopefully no one notices any changes at RSL. Calls are automatically routed to our staff at home.
- Orders continue to come in at a steady and very healthy pace; no one could guess that there is a health emergency from the list of new orders daily.
- Our suppliers are doing a great job of staying in contact and meeting our needs
- RSL’s warehouses in Atlanta and Dallas remain open and fully stocked.
- ODL has closed their customer glass facility in Ohio (Kenyon) & their main production facility in Zeeland, Michigan. They are still operating in Mexico and distributing from 4 warehouses.
- Novatech has closed all Canadian facilities except the one steel door plant that is reopening on Monday, largely to serve RSL’s customers.
- RSL’s factory in NJ(Fernwood) is still closed. We have been waiting to get test results for one employee that is hospitalized with pneumonia. It has been an incredibly frustrating five days since he was tested and he STILL does not have results. This means that we are currently unable to fill wood, vinyl and Impact orders. I think that it is now necessary to inform ONLY customers that purchase these products. Kevin will write a statement and Conor will send it to those customers and copy each of you in those territories.
- Our heroic production facility in Austintown, Ohio remains open and is working a full 10 hour day of OT today. Lead time is 3 days! Stringent safety measures are being followed to disinfect and check the temperature of every worker daily to look for signs of fever.
If you have questions that I have not answered, please email them without copying everyone. We could use more feedback from the field about our customer’s conditions and attitudes. Are building inspectors still working and are new projects still moving forward? Are our competitor’s supply failing or staying steady? Do our customers appreciate the level of communication and service that we are providing? Is there something else that we can communicate or do to assist our customers?
Thanks and have a good weekend of rest and good health!
Ron Lewkowitz
President RSL
March 26, 2020
Hi everyone,
These days, we are all facing uncertainty. We are working hard to find solutions to make it better for everyone. We have to make difficult decisions based on your health and the sustainability of our organization. Some of our customers are in markets considered essential by governments. Therefore, we will be reopening some sites in the province of Quebec to serve them and continue to do our part. These sites will begin operating again with reduced staff to manufacture small volumes by Monday, at the latest.
Francis Bélanger will do the necessary follow-up with the involved supervisors. To ensure that our facilities remain safe, at no time, employees who have symptoms can report to work. We must all continue to rigorously respect and follow government recommendations regarding social distancing and all hygiene measures.
The health and safety of our Novatech family remains our priority. Rest assured that we are doing everything possible to help and inform you, both in terms of the most recent recommendations issued by public health authorities and government programs available to you.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your supervisor or our HR team.
Thank you for the positive comments and notes of encouragement you have sent us. We greatly appreciate receiving your input and how you are doing.
Let’s remain on guard. Our collective project is just beginning and when completed, we will all be proud of it.
Thank you all, and let’s not give up. See you soon.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
March 25, 2020
Hi everyone,
First day of work from home for me today. We all have to adapt and fortunately we have the technology to do so, it really helps.
The last few days have not been easy with the announcement of new temporary layoffs.
For the moment, our warehouses in the province of Quebec, in Toronto and Calgary remain open as we have been authorized to proceed with shipments. We will also continue to work on quotations and respond to requests for proposal.
In the United States, our Fernwood facility is temporarily closed, while Martinsville and Austintown are still in operation.
We reiterate our most sincere thanks for your support during this turbulent period. Your solidarity means a great deal to us.
It is important to remind us that every time we comply with government instructions, we take a social action.
We therefore all work together on the same collective project and, at Novatech, we know how to manage projects. We will come out of this even stronger.
It is also recommended that you continue as much as possible with your routines for those of you at home to keep a life balance. Please do not hesitate to call on specialists or your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for
tips and advice that will most certainly help you.
Thank you all, and let’s not give up. See you soon.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
March 24, 2020
Hi everyone,
For the moment, all our operations in the province of Quebec are on pause until April 13th. Some customers in the rest of Canada are still open and those in the United States are all open.
Since the beginning of this situation, our strategy has been to protect our employees, respond to the markets and follow government instructions. I am proud of all that Novatech and its employees have accomplished over the past few weeks. We have promptly reacted and could have continued to operate with the safety precautions in place.
I sincerely thank you and ask you to respect the instructions of our governments for the well-being of all.
During this pause, please remember to find ways and activities to help you take the pressure off by keeping your mind occupied, listening to music, cooking, doing your spring cleaning more thoroughly than usual, or getting some fresh air, with all the required vigilance.
The Executive Committee members will continue to meet twice a day, remotely. Rest assured that I will keep you regularly informed on the next steps.
Thank you and take good care of yourself and your families. See you soon.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
March 20, 2020
Hi everyone,
The evolution of the markets is currently changing every day. Depending on the sectors and markets, our orders remain in a good position. We still have to make difficult decisions and it is with great regret that we had to make temporary layoffs at some of our sites. However, as the vast majority of our customers are still in operation, we continue to follow the recommendations of governments, specific to each state in the United States or province in Canada, encouraging manufacturers to operate in accordance with the required health and safety guidelines.
This is what the Novatech Group has been doing since the beginning of this situation: by encouraging telework, when possible; by cleaning all common surfaces; by stopping all business travel and limiting visits from suppliers to the strict minimum; by communicating all hygiene measures to be taken, etc.
Our decisions are made by respecting 3 essential criteria:
1. Ensure the safety of our employees
2. Follow the instructions of governments
3. Continue to serve our customers
On behalf of myself and all the members of the Executive Committee, we would like to sincerely congratulate and thank all our employees for your exemplary cooperation to ensure the continuity of our operations in a safe way.
I am convinced that everything will return to normal and that this period will be nothing but a bad memory. Take advantage of the weekend at home to take your mind off things by listening to music, watching movies, cooking or taking some fresh air (of course, please avoid doing it in a group and keep your distance), it is very important for each and everyone’s sake.
Thank you all and take care.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
March 20, 2020
Hi everyone,
The evolution of the markets is currently changing every day. Depending on the sectors and markets, our orders remain in a good position. We still have to make difficult decisions and it is with great regret that we had to make temporary layoffs at some of our sites. However, as the vast majority of our customers are still in operation, we continue to follow the recommendations of governments, specific to each state in the United States or province in Canada, encouraging manufacturers to operate in accordance with the required health and safety guidelines.
This is what the Novatech Group has been doing since the beginning of this situation: by encouraging telework, when possible; by cleaning all common surfaces; by stopping all business travel and limiting visits from suppliers to the strict minimum; by communicating all hygiene measures to be taken, etc.
Our decisions are made by respecting 3 essential criteria:
1. Ensure the safety of our employees
2. Follow the instructions of governments
3. Continue to serve our customers
On behalf of myself and all the members of the Executive Committee, we would like to sincerely congratulate and thank all our employees for your exemplary cooperation to ensure the continuity of our operations in a safe way.
I am convinced that everything will return to normal and that this period will be nothing but a bad memory. Take advantage of the weekend at home to take your mind off things by listening to music, watching movies, cooking or taking some fresh air (of course, please avoid doing it in a group and keep your distance), it is very important for each and everyone’s sake.
Thank you all and take care.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
March 19, 2020
Hi everyone,
We are facing an exceptional situation. Rest assured that we are doing everything we can to get through this difficult time. And we will, thanks to the strength and culture of our team.
We are evaluating our position according to the evolution of the different markets. Based on discussions with our most important customers, we will have to adjust our operations, as the closure of some of them will have an impact on our orders.
Important reminders:
• We still have no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Novatech Group.
• Continue to wash your hands frequently, maintain social distance, avoid touching your face, and seek medical help immediately if you have symptoms. Should you need to quarantine, stay at home and avoid contact with people to help prevent the spread of the disease to others in your home or your community.
• Make sure to respect the recommended distance of 3 feet between each of you in gathering areas (offices, cafeteria, meeting rooms, etc.).
Please do not hesitate to inform your Manager or the HR team, as communication is of the utmost importance at the moment.
Thank you all and stay very vigilant.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
March 18, 2020
Hi everyone,
We have started to take actions early in the management of this exceptional situation and we are proud of it.
Thank you for your cooperation. Today, we would like to inform you that:
• No cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the Novatech Group.
• We are monitoring the situation in all our markets and, you will understand that, we will have to adjust our operations accordingly on a daily basis.
• Continue to rigorously follow hygiene measures. The HR team makes sure that you receive all relevant information on this subject.
So far, governments are strongly encouraging manufacturing companies to continue operating and they have no intention of closing down construction sites.
Our objective remains to pursue our operations to serve our customers in active markets. Thus, let’s continue to operate safely by respecting all government instructions.
If you have any questions or information concerning the situation, please contact your Manager or the HR team without any hesitation.
Thank you all.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
March 17, 2020
Hi everyone,
We are monitoring the situation on an ongoing basis. Since the beginning of the crisis, our priorities have been and remain the health and safety of our employees and the population, as well as the continuity of our operations. Decisions will be made at all times based on government measures and market responses.
Let us remind you of the following instructions:
• Last Friday, instructions were given to clean all common areas more frequently (washrooms, door handles, counters, tables, plant equipment, etc.).
• Make sure to respect the recommended distance of 3 feet between each of you in gathering areas (offices, cafeteria, meeting rooms, etc.).
• If you have any concerns, questions or comments, do not hesitate to quickly inform your Manager of any case with which you may have been in contact, near or far.
We will continue to keep you informed on a regular basis. Your Manager or the HR team are available to answer your questions.
Once again, please be vigilant and thank you for your cooperation.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO
March 16, 2020
Hi everyone,
We are implementing all necessary actions according to the instructions of the governments. Your safety as well as the continuity of operations are our priorities.
We will focus all our efforts on essential activities.
Per the Executive Committee meeting of this morning, here are new instructions to follow:
• All our plant Managers will be in constant communication with you to ensure that you take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and those around you to keep our operations safe.
• Only messages concerning the situation on COVID-19 will be published on the various TV screens for your reference.
• Visits by our suppliers must be limited to essential activities related to maintaining our operations. All meetings that can take place virtually must be privileged. If you have any questions, please contact Francis Bélanger.
• For safety reasons, it will not be permitted to bring children to the workplace.
• Employees aged 70 and over must follow the government’s recommendations and remain at home.
• When an employee must remain in isolation at home, a document will be provided listing the measures to be followed.
We will continue to keep you informed on a regular basis so that it is clear to everyone.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your Manager or the HR team.
Thank you for your cooperation and dedication.
Harold Savard, P. Eng.
President and CEO