In a recent piece in BIC Magazine, “Whitesell leads Braskem’s Marcus Hook site during COVID-driven ‘live in’” by Dillon Lowe 3/1/2021, Braskem’s polypropylene facility in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania is profiled for their role in combating COVID-19. From the onset of the pandemic, the production facility has played a critical part in supporting frontline workers and communities.
Specifically, polypropylene, which is produced at the plant, is a component of N95 and surgical masks. Innovation has played a key role in addressing the needs of medical workers, as well as communities throughout the pandemic, and the Braskem facility is a notable example of a team of workers rising to the challenge to meet the record demand from the medical equipment markets.
Early on in the pandemic, Braskem’s facility, executed a 28-day “live in” with a team of volunteers to ensure the health and safety of its team members and their families. During the “live in,” Braskem increased the wages of all the participating team members, and worked on a modified schedule to ensure there were no negative impacts of COVID-19 passed along to employees, which was a key priority for Stephanie Whitesell, Braskem’s Plant Manager at Marcus Hook.
Looking ahead, Braskem plans to contribute large investments toward reducing emissions and strive for sustainability, while continuing to evaluate opportunities to best serve their clients in the future.