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Helpful Tips for Social Distancing

Posted on by Alice Stengel

Helpful Tips for Social Distancing

Most Americans are advised to social distance or have been required to shelter in place. Shopping for necessities can pose a real challenge. There are many delivery services available currently from most chain stores for all of the items you need. 

While you use the list below to help make distancing easier, let’s remember others that may need help. Communities must come together in times of crisis. If we each help one person, we have made a big difference. We can remain safe and at a distance while helping those in need:

    • Donate to your favorite charity or church, they are struggling as donations wane.
    • Buy local. Order take-out weekly or buy a gift card from your favorite restaurant or store. It will help local businesses to stay afloat.
    • Call your elderly neighbors to see if they have the items they need.  Older people may not be as tech-savvy and may not know How to Shelter in Place Like a Prothey can get groceries and prescriptions delivered.  

American’s come together in times of crisis. We all need to do our part. We can make a difference even though we’re at a distance.

Here are some tips to help you avoid crowds and public places and still get everything you need.  This post is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended to endorse any particular brand.

GROCERIES:

Many national brands and local stores deliver. For my area, I use Peapod https://www.peapod.com/ and Prime Now https://primenow.amazon.com/, delivering for Whole Foods. Both apps can be downloaded through the App Store for the iPhone or Google Play for Android. You may prepay by credit or debit card and the groceries are left on your porch/doorstep. There does not need to be *direct contact with the delivery person if you prepay.

There are many items currently out of stock. You may want to enable “ok to substitute” if you don’t have brand preferences. Delivery charges may apply and some services offer tipping options which can reduce face to face contact with the delivery person. Use coupons? Many services allow you to submit product coupons when buying online. *See CDC guidelines for surface cleaning of all surfaces/products you come in contact with which may include grocery items

TAKE-OUT:

Don’t cook? Most restaurants are offering delivery service or curbside pickup. Many that did not traditionally offer delivery are now because of the shutdown. There are also options like Uber Eats and DoorDash®. They are third party companies that pick up and deliver to you. The apps can be found on the App Store for iPhone or via Google Play for Androids. Prepay via credit card and include tips in payment when possible to *minimize face to face contact. *Use CDC guidelines for sanitizing surfaces of various types of packaging.

PHARMACIES:

Use online pharmacy apps. Ask for 90-day supplies when possible. My local CVS store will deliver any item in the store including prescriptions. See CDC guidelines for surface cleaning of all surfaces/products you come in contact with including pharmacy items. The corona lives on various surfaces for extended periods. It may be recommended you sanitize pharmacy products & packaging.

GYMS:

Exercise can be a challenge if you are used to going to a gym. Some people live in areas where they can get outside safely for a run or walk 6 feet or further from others but, some are ‘shelter in place’ with no outdoor activities allowed. There are many online downloadable exercise videos. I subscribe to the Yoga Channel. Many are free and some have a fee.  Remember if you don’t already exercise you’ll want to discuss it with your doctor before starting.

SPIRITS:

There are alcohol delivery services. I had to double-check but in most areas, it’s considered an essential service!

ONLINE GAMES:

I must confess I’ve never ‘gamed’ but, this might be the right time to try online gaming. There are hundreds of online game streaming services that families can utilize for entertainment.

ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE:

And lastly, Amazon is a source for countless products. If you choose the paid version called “Amazon Prime” you get free delivery on many items. You can buy groceries, housewares, personal items, and access to Prime TV. They also offer Audible, an audiobook service for those that prefer to listen to their favorite books.

ONLINE VIDEO CONFERENCING:

Stay connected with friends and family for free while distancing. Use Zoom.com to video chat with friends and family. Video chats are free for up to 40 minutes per call. Use the ‘gallery’ function to see everyone on the call in one view.

*CDC:

The link to the CDC website for additional information. The information changes and evolves daily. Check back to this link regularly for updates.

* https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

If you have other ideas or apps that can be helpful, please share!

COVID-19 Update 3-20-20

Posted on by gibbs1956

Gibbs COVID-19 Update 3-20-20

March 20, 2020

Status Update on Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Our Supply Chain

To:  Our Valued Customers and Suppliers,

We want to provide you with a status report of key areas of our business that relate to the coronavirus:

Status of material supply:  We are starting to see some disruption in supply from foreign mills.  We have not experienced any disruption as yet from domestic mills due to the coronavirus at this time.  However, we believe we have ample inventory at this time.  This applies to wire and strip products.  

Status of our operations:  We are not experiencing any significant operational issues at this time.  We are taking all prudent measures to limit the impact of the virus on operations.  This includes allowing employees to telecommute.  It also includes staggered attendance at work in some areas.  We have also restricted all visitors to essential personnel.  All travel by our outside sales team has been curtailed.  We are following the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for protection and prevention.

We will remain open as a critical business.  Please note that we qualify as a Federal Critical Infrastructure business according to CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency).  This is due in part to our place in the supply chain for critical areas such as medical, and critical manufacturing.  

Status of transportation: We are working closely with our freight forwarders to ensure we have uninterrupted service.  We do see potential risk in this area that could lead to higher rates. We are monitoring this closely. At this time there has been no disruption.

We will continue to keep you updated if any of the above change.

We wish you and your employees the very best during this challenging period.  

Sincerely

Bill

William J. Torres

President

COVID 19 Supply Chain Update from Gibbs

Posted on by Alice Stengel

Update: Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Our Supply Chain

March 16, 2020

To:  Our Valued Customers and Suppliers,

We want to provide you with a status report of key areas of our business that relate to the coronavirus:

Status of material supply:  We are not experiencing any disruption to our supply chain due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) at this time.  This applies to wire and strip products. 

Status of our operations: We are not experiencing any significant operational issues at this time.  We are taking all prudent measures to limit the impact of the virus on operations.  This includes allowing employees to telecommute.  It also includes staggered attendance at work in some areas.  We have also restricted all visitors to essential personnel.  All travel by our outside sales team has been curtailed.  

Status of transportation: We are working closely with our freight forwarders to ensure we have uninterrupted service.  We do see potential risks in this area that could lead to higher rates. We are monitoring this closely. At this time there has been no disruption.

We will continue to keep you updated if any of the above changes.

We wish you and your employees the very best during this challenging period. 

Sincerely,

Bill         

William J. Torres
President

What is Music Wire?

Posted on by Alice Stengel

What is Music Wire?

Music Wire is a common name for high carbon spring wire.  This product is used for countless spring applications.  It received its name because it was originally used for Piano wire.  This high tensile wire can withstand temps up to 250 degrees Fahrenheit, has high fatigue life, as well as, take severe bends without cracking.  Spring manufacturers prefer music wire and consider it a good value because it meets the needs and requirements of the spring buyers at a moderate material cost. Gibbs music wire under .055” is also patented.  The standard ordering specification or music wire is to ASTM-A-228.  Patenting is a heat treatment process that improves the durability and strength of the wire.  It is achieved with an in-line heat treatment at 970 degrees Fahrenheit and then cooled in a variety of mediums including air and lead.  Sizes over .055” are available upon request with short lead times.

Music wire is phosphate coated to assist lubrication in the spring winding process.  It can be plated post-production or purchased in pre-plated state with additional corrosion resistant properties such as zinc.  Gibbs is an exclusive supplier of Preco Z®, a zinc coated music wire, that is the preferred choice of many spring manufacturers.  In addition to Preco Z, Gibbs stocks Corrostan®, an electro-galvanized music wire that also offers additional corrosion resistance to standard music wire.

The general consensus is that music wire is one of the best, toughest, and most widely preferred materials for all sizes of springs. It has one of the highest tensile strengths and can withstand higher stresses under repeated loading than other spring materials.  It is generally ordered to ASTM A-228.  Contact us for additional specifications.

For more information about all of Gibbs wire products contact us at 800-800-4422 or visit here.

If you’d like to submit a quote, our RFQ form is provided below:

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Gibbs People Care – Pencils & Smiles Charity

Posted on by Alice Stengel

Gibbs Employee Runs a Charity to Provide Supplies to School Children in Zimbabwe

Pencils and Smiles is a 501(c)(3) exempt non-profit that seeks to bridge the gap between education and poverty in Zimbabwe. They endeavor to motivate and encourage those less privileged, giving them hope for a better future and an opportunity to tower above the effects of the poverty they are born into.

The charity was founded by Fadzai Mavindidze, Gibbs Certification Clerk, South Bend, Indiana.  She was moved by the story of a grandmother who walked over 5 miles to her grandfather’s homestead to borrow a pencil so that her grandchild could attend school. In Zimbabwe, supplies are not provided by the school and admittance is dependent upon the students’ ability to provide their books, pencils, and paper.  Without a pencil, the child could not have participated.

Pencils and Smiles is an initiative that aims to ease the adverse effects of unimaginable situations and circumstances such as these, caused by poverty, which are robbing children in this little village, Mazvihwa, Zvishavane Zimbabwe, of their basic right to education.  

Pencils and Smiles adopted an additional school to support in 2019. Rupemba Primary School is a remote rural school situated about 40 km out of Zvishavane, a town in the Midlands province of Zimbabwe.

There are about 330 pupils that attend. The school is comprised of two simple design blocks accommodating a large number of pupils.  There are not enough desks and chairs and they live in lack but, their livelihood and peacefulness show they are not discouraged. They are a hopeful people. Everything needed is in very limited supply which makes teaching and learning a big challenge.

The adoption of Rupemba School was Pencils and Smiles highlight this past year. We distributed well over 300 pencils, and many other school supplies to help and make their challenges a little less and it was greatly appreciated. We harvested a lot of beaming smiles!

Fadzai commented, “It is clear a lot needs to be done to improve the learning standards for the school and that is our main objective as Pencils and Smiles. We believe in small beginnings and small consistent steps and deeds that lead to big and effective results with consistency and with time. Putting a smile on each child and teacher’s face one pencil at a time. Our initial distribution went well despite unavoidable hitches, we pushed through, spread some smiles and effected change.  A big thank you to all that have been involved and have been donating to this cause. You’re making tremendous positive changes in these remote underserved communities.”

The mission of Pencils & Smiles is to make the learning process an enjoyable and fruitful experience through the provision of necessary tools and equipment for every child, in underprivileged communities.

For more about us please visit our website www.pencilsandsmiles.org and also visit and like us on Facebook and Instagram