Vehicle test site up and running ‘Covid-secure’

Horiba MIRA fully re-opened its facilities

VEHICLE design and testing company Horiba Mira says it has fully converted its facilities into Covid-secure operations.

The company suspended most operations at its 850-acre site in Higham on the Hill and a further facility in Basildon on April 13, but safely welcomed back the first wave of furloughed employees by May 4.

About two-thirds of the company’s 600-strong team have been working from home using remote technology, but it said the 40 specialised on-site facilities, including its 100km proving ground, were essential to continue automotive and defence sector work.

Declan Allen, managing director of Horiba Mira, said: “We’re very proud to be in a position where our employees who are unable to work from home can safely return to our sites.

“To go from suspending most operations to welcoming staff back to a safe and secure working environment within a matter of weeks has been a Herculean cross-company task.

“The impact of the pandemic on our customers and our suppliers has been significant, and that in turn had a dramatic impact upon our company.

“We swiftly responded to this, as all companies have needed to, but we’ve used that time to ready ourselves for recovery and can now scale up our services in response to customer demand safely and effectively.

“This has only been possible because our great team pulled together to find a way – enabling us to support our customers and suppliers to get through this crisis together.

“A week after we welcomed back the first wave of staff, we are confident the measures we’ve introduced well and truly meet government requirements and, in many cases, go beyond what is expected.

“From the outset of the crisis, we’ve kept in close communication with all our team members. By listening to and implementing ideas from across our diverse team, everyone has the confidence we are doing the right thing for them, for our future, and for the company.”

He said Horiba Mira was also proud to have supported the region’s NHS, care homes and hospices, for example using its 3D printers to create face shields for carers across the Midlands region.

Mr Allen said: “Like many others, we have tried to find ways to support not only the NHS but also the care and hospice sector.

“We hope to continue to aid those impacted by coronavirus while supporting the Midlands and global automotive sector to get back on its feet.”

WORK HAD BEEN SUSPENDED ON APRIL 13 - NOW STAFF RETURN