COVID-19 Coronavirus: Flattening the Curve

As I write this column, we in the U.S. are at a tipping point—doing our best to limit exposure and waiting to see if our efforts are successful.

I profoundly hope that you are reading this issue of ASI in good health and from the safety of your own home. The last few weeks have seen an unprecedented global response to the threat of COVID-19—from school, restaurant, and facility closings to innumerable event postponements and cancellations. Companies are limiting travel and in-person meetings and, when possible, sending employees home to work remotely. Many organizations have also committed to paying those who are not able to work during this time.

As I write this column, we in the U.S. are at a tipping point—doing our best to limit exposure and waiting to see if our efforts are successful. Never have we experienced a crisis of this magnitude, and may we never see another.

It seems silly to talk about the articles within these pages, given the situation we find ourselves in. But—as I keep telling myself—the pandemic will pass. Though it might be difficult to imagine right now, we will get through this. The world will eventually return to “normal.”

So toward that end, our cover story this month focuses on pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) for packaging applications. As Avery Dennison Performance Tapes’ Chris Blackwell writes, “PSAs are rapidly changing the way goods are packaged and delivered to consumers in traditional retail and via ecommerce. They also enhance the food packaging that enables the contents to remain fresher for a longer period of time in the original container while also helping to sell those goods (and others) on the sales floor. In addition, PSAs help deliver medical devices safely and securely to medical professionals.” Learn more in “Changing the Packaging Landscape with Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives.”

How is your company dealing with the coronavirus? What impact do you think it will have on your business and the industry as a whole? Please contact me at (248) 786-1704 or suttons@bnpmedia.com to share your tips and experiences.