Inventories of Clorox products nearly wiped out

The coronavirus has been an unimaginable business boom and daunting manufacturing challenge for Clorox.

The cleaning supplies maker, founded in Oakland in 1913, saw record shipments of disinfecting wipes, sprays and bathroom cleaners in the first three months of 2020. Net cleaning product sales spiked 32% to $671 million in that period compared with 2019.

As U.S. shutdown orders began in March, demand surged 500% for some products, which have been consistently sold out at stores.

The company’s 19 U.S. plants, including one in Fairfield, are running nonstop.

“People today are manufacturing more products than we’ve ever had, and our production speed is faster than it ever was,” said Benno Dorer, CEO of the 8,800person company, who said there have been no workplace accidents during that time.

The company continues prioritizing employee safety during unprecedented demand.

Before shelterinplace orders in March, workers at the company’s Oakland headquarters on Broadway and other offices switched to working from home, though the company is an essential business that can stay open. Office