The annual technical shutdown of Ence’s biofactory in Pontevedra (Spain) has been satisfactorily completed, the plant having resumed its normal activity. The operation, which this year was carried out within strict safety regulations against the coronavirus, has allowed the facilities to undergo an exhaustive program to incorporate new technologies, in order to continue strengthening their efficiency, reliability and environmental excellence.
The stoppage of the Pontevedra biofactory has involved an investment of approximately 2 million euros. An investment that has not only been used to maintain the installation but also to improve its efficiency and sustainability.
In addition, and thanks to the strict protection measures applied, which have proven their effectiveness, the annual shutdown has been completed safely against the coronavirus, without any contagion inside the facilities.
Thus, during these two weeks, the company has carried out 3,500 antigen tests on its own and contracted personnel. In the same way, more than 10,000 FFP2 masks have been distributed among all the people who accessed the facilities, with the obligation to carry them inside the biofactory at all times.
Access, on the other hand, has been controlled through a mobile application, which ensures that all people have taken a test, with a negative result, in coronavirus, and that they know the main aspects of protection against the coronavirus, which is evaluated , through a specific test.
In addition, the stop was divided into independent work groups, with their own essential services: spacious and ventilated rooms for changing rooms; and dining rooms, in large tents. Thus, each of these working groups has formed an independent bubble from the rest of the plant to act without interaction or contact of any kind with the rest of the groups.
In this way, it has been possible to limit contact between people, guarantee compliance with the safety distance at all times and preserve, even more, the safety of all participants at the stop.
In line with what has been applied by the company since the beginning of the pandemic, all the security measures in the environment of the biofactory have been supervised in the field, through a robust campaign of Preventive Safety Observations by the line command, also encouraging that all people have been equally prudent in their behavior outside the plant.