Skippack, PA - Late Thursday, March 19, 2020, Governor Tom Wolf ordered all non-life-sustaining businesses in Pennsylvania to close their brick-and-mortar (physical) locations to slow the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). The Governor’s order directed businesses to begin shutting down at 8:00 PM on March 19, 2020, with enforcement action for non-compliance to begin at 12:01 AM Saturday, March 21, 2020.
As stated within Governor Wolf’s order, closures were to be based upon statewide industry/sector business classification type. Per March 19th’s version of this list, large components of H&K Group, Inc.’s (H&K’s) business operations were deemed non-life-sustaining and thus, non-compliant for business continuance during the mandated shutdown. These major components include both Nonmetallic Mineral Mining/Quarrying and Heavy/Civil Engineering Construction.
To remain compliant with the statewide mandate, protect our most valuable asset, our entire employee family, and support our Nations ongoing effort to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, H&K began company-wide facility closures and shut-downs mid-day Friday, March 20, 2020.
Since the shut-down, our Executive Management Team has labored around-the-clock to manage our employee base, keep our company upright and lobby for industry/sector reclassification of our business type(s) to keep our/your projects going, our workforce safe and our economy solvent. To this end, we have seen some success with our reclassification efforts, as Mining/Quarrying and construction materials have now been deemed essential.
This will reopen our construction aggregate facilities and asphalt plants and add to our list of Concrete Product manufacturing operations, namely RAHNS Concrete and Easton Block & Supply, which were previously authorized as essential under the March 19th mandate.
If you are an existing customer or client who has questions or concerns about the impact of COVID-19 closure enforcement on your project, we encourage you to please connect with your H&K Project Manager or Materials Sales Representative to discuss closure directives, schedules and project details. With some of our operations now back-to-work under industry/sector reclassification and our Executive Management Team functioning remotely/virtually, you can be assured that H&K is here to support you during this crisis.
If you are a new, inquiring or potential customer or client, you are encouraged to explore our vast qualifications online and connect with us through our website at our handy Contact Us navigation tab. During the COVID-19 closure period, we will remain diligent with responses to our web contacts and our Business Development Team is eager to discuss and pass on our qualifications to ensure consideration on your next project.
Though we have seemingly arrived at one of the most challenging and difficult times in our Nation’s history (and certainly the last 52 years of our own business operations), we cannot help but believe that we shall all overcome this adversity. The strength, integrity, courage, endurance and compassion of the American people should never be discounted or underestimated when confronted with a challenging proposition such as this. We have tremendous faith in everyone involved and we do expect to return to full operational status as soon as the COVID-19 mandate is lifted.
In closing, we thank for your continued understanding, patience and business support during this mandated shutdown. Be safe and stay well!