03/16/2020

Dear Valued Customers,

Less than ten weeks have passed since China first reported the existence of a new virus to the W.H.O. that is now known as COVID-19.

In that very short time, the impact this virus had on the world economy, supply chains and even daily way of life is unprecedented.

We would like to assure our customers that business continuity is not something we can or will leave to chance.

Here is how V. Alexander & Co., Inc. has prepared to handle this situation:

> Our operations systems are cloud based and best of breed, probably the best supported and most redundant logistics systems in the world.
> With three operational centers we are able to load-balance phone calls, emails and operational processing as needed. The entire company is very well connected and works within the same framework of software and tools.
> A large part of our team members already was equipped with laptops and accustomed to working remotely. Live testing and simulation are currently underway with all other staff to ensure that there is redundancy to every key employee. Always a technology-focused company, we are sure that we have the tools in place to continue to facilitate the efficient movement of information, data and documentation as well as prompt communication internally and externally.
> We are in daily contact with our international partners and vendors to ensure a continuous flow of information and data. Our most critical agencies are already working at least partially remotely.
> We are taking precautions with our own employees by following best practices, eliminating travel and keeping a very healthy flow of information on individual wellness and awareness.

The best sources of information for this situation are the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention whose guidance we take very seriously and follow to assure the well-being of our team members and the communities we reside in.

Please follow the links below to these agencies’ websites for further information:

• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

It is encouraging to hear from our offices in China that factories there seem to be making tremendous progress to getting their production levels back to normal. We remain dedicated to meet our valued customers’ needs during these turbulent times.

It is our goal to continue to provide the same level of excellence our customers have come to always expect from us, and we encourage our customers to reach out to their account team with any questions, concerns or requirements they may have.

For us it is not “business as usual” but rather “better than usual.”

Finally, we encourage you to stay vigilant and careful in protecting yourself, your family and our communities.

Sincerely,
Chris Schmid
Senior Vice President, COO
V. Alexander & Co., Inc.