GULF EXTRUSIONS MAGAZINE - MARCH 2020

TOWARDS A FUTURE OF POSSIBILITIES Gulf Extrusions Monthly Magazine March 2020 I Issue 8 TOWARDS THE NEXT 50 Amid COVID-19 Concerns, We Are Business As Usual Business as Usual, but 5 Ways COVID-19 WILL Gulfex offering all with Coronavirus change Ramadan in employees Precautions UAE coronavirus tests Gulf Extrusions LLC I A Subsidiary of Al Ghurair Group Fax: 00971 4 884 6830 Gulf Extrusions LLC, PO Box 5598, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel: 00971 4 884 6146 www.gulfex.com

Inside this issue Amid COVID-19 Concerns, We Are Business As Usual Coronavirus will affect many aspects of Ramadan in 2020, but the essence of the holy month will remain the same Gulfex offering all employees coronavirus tests 1

Editorial As the success of a company is precautions as the situation directly related to the health and continues to evolve. welfare of its employees, Gulf Extrusions undertakes a series of By participating in coronavirus programs throughout March 2020 to campaign, we can assure our educate and promote healthy living. employees and their families that we are committed to actively fighting In line with prevention measures for COVID-19 infection. coronavirus, employees across plants and offices are encouraged to carry According to a statement, the out virtual meetings through digital company will continue to monitor platforms ensuring seamless business global developments and prevention continuity with flexible solutions. measures, and update its actions based on how the worldwide Christian Witsch, CEO of Gulf situation evolves. Extrusions, said Gulfex places the highest priority on the health and To date, streets are empty, shopping safety of its employees, their centres are closed, and the only families, its customers and the public place you can actually visit are broader community” Christian added supermarkets, pharmacies and “The world is facing one of the hospitals as authorities urge biggest challenges in its modern residents to stay at home while they history. The UAE has set an example carry out the national disinfection for precautionary and preventive programme to prevent the spread of measures against COVID-19. coronavirus COVID-19. Collective efforts are vital to overcome the current sensitive Children are attending classes from period.” home, it’s now universally acceptable – even encouraged – to work Apart from ensuring that employees remotely, and forget about visiting are using sanitisers regularly and your friends or family since social wearing masks when interacting with distancing has now become the outsiders, Gulfex are conducting norm. Our daily routine has changed, health checks and coronavirus tests and inevitably, so will Ramadan. for their employees. We ask Allah the Almighty to accept While the company’s QHSE frontline Taraweeh prayers whether held at teams are committed to providing mosques, or homes, which we think seamless services during this is better for people’s health. We ask sensitive period, management and Allah the Almighty to accept prayers human resources departments from all of us and protect humanity continue to work closely with public from this epidemic that hit the entire and private medical experts to world. ensure that we are taking the right Stay safe and be positive, we will get through this together. GULF EXTRUSIONS Monthly Magazine |March 2020 | Issue 8 For suggestions and contributions, please write to [email protected] 2

Health and Wellbeing Amid COVID-19 Concerns, We Are Business As Usual In line with preventive working order for its measures for coronavirus, employees whose jobs allow employees across plants and them to do so effective March offices are encouraged to carry 15, as part of preventive out virtual meetings through measures being undertaken in digital platforms ensuring the UAE to safeguard the seamless business continuity community’s health. The move with flexible solutions is said to align with the UAE’s ‘Stay at Home’ campaign Gulf Extrusions has aimed at combating the implemented a remote Coronavirus pandemic. 3

According to a statement, the partners and stakeholders that company will continue to these measures will not impact monitor global developments the company’s operations. and prevention measures, and update its actions based on “We are committed to how the worldwide situation delivering our services without evolves. compromising quality and customer satisfaction. The Christian Witsch, CEO of Gulf Management continuously take Extrusions, said Gulfex places the lead in providing Gulfex the highest priority on the employees with programs and health and safety of its trainings to maintain and employees, their families, its further improve our proven customers and the broader track record of tangible success. community” Christian added Every day we make our “The world is facing one of the customers’ lives simpler by biggest challenges in its modern providing best solutions as per history. The UAE has set an the latest international example for precautionary and standards that help them fulfil preventive measures against their business aspirations.” COVID-19. Collective efforts are added Christian Witsch. vital to overcome the current sensitive period.” While the company’s QHSE frontline teams are committed Mr. Witsch called on all Gulf to providing seamless services Extrusions employees to abide during this sensitive period, by the guidelines, advisories management and human and procedures issued by the resources departments UAE Ministry of Health and continue to work closely with Prevention, the Dubai Health public and private medical Authority and other authorities experts to ensure we are taking advising people to practice the right precautions as the social distancing. He also situation continues to evolve. assured Gulfex customers, 4

Ramadan Coronavirus: 5 ways COVID-19 will change Ramadan in UAE Coronavirus will affect many aspects of Ramadan in 2020 - but the essence of the holy month will remain the same Ramadan, the most sacred To date, streets are empty, month of the year for Muslims, shopping centers are closed, is expected to begin on April and the only public place you 24. The observance of can actually visit are Ramadan is one of the five supermarkets, pharmacies and pillars of Islam, and marks the hospitals as authorities urge month when Muslims from residents to stay at home while around the world are obligated they carry out the national to fast from sunrise to sunset. disinfection programme to prevent the spread of The month of Ramadan is a coronavirus COVID-19. time of reflection and piety, the practice of self-control, and Children are attending classes giving back to the community from home, its now universally through charity and generous acceptable – even encouraged – deeds. to work remotely, and forget 5

about visiting your friends or entice customers with their family since social distancing has mouth-watering menus. This year now become the norm. however, may be a more sombre affair as the F&B industry remain 1. Shopping and Stocking up tight-lipped. Current preventive In the run-up to Ramadan, measures against coronavirus several car trips are usually means that restaurants will not needed to make sure that the accept dine-in customers, until kitchen is filled with special further notice. ingredients to make traditional meals, as well as to decorate the 3. Social Distancing home with themed decorations. The Ministry of Health and The UAE’s national disinfection Prevention, along with a number programme means that of local authorities, have placed movement is restricted between an emphasis on maintaining a 8pm and 6am, leaving less hours social distance between family for families to go out and shop. and friends. And with a one-member per The new rules of engagement call household policy allowed to visit for maintaining a gap of one to the supermarket at one given two meters to prevent possible time, this means that you’ll have exposure when an infected to be more organised when person coughs or speaks, jotting down the grocery list, as according to the World Health you won’t have anyone nearby to Organisation (WHO). It was also remind you what’s been left out. advised to avoid physical contact when greeting others, such as 2. Iftar and Suhoor Gatherings handshakes, kisses or hugs. During Ramadan, iftar is the Alternatively, you can wave, nod, meal used to break the fast while or place your hand over your suhoor is eaten before sunrise. In heart. other circumstances, ads of iftar Bearing these social norms in tents and special suhoor meals mind, it looks like large family would normally be filling up your gatherings and meeting up at a inbox as restaurants and hotels friend’s house during Ramadan is 6

unlikely until authorities confirm every Isha prayer, which are that public gatherings are safe known as taraweeh prayers. again. The taraweeh prayers involve reading long chapters of the 4. Umrah Qur’an every night, with the aim Emirates and Etihad Airway said to complete the entire Quran by it would no longer carry to Saudi the end of the last day of Arabia passengers with Umrah Ramadan. pilgrimage visas or tourists until further notice, in compliance This year, mosques will be with a Saudi government closed for the length of the holy directive to contain the month. This represents one of coronavirus outbreak. the biggest changes to Ramadan Saudi Arabia said that it would brought on by coronavirus. take four months to a year to Though many choose to pray at contain the coronavirus while home, Islam encourages announcing that it expects the Muslims to perform their five total number of cases to reach daily prayers at mosques. 200,000 if measures to counter In Ramadan, an extra extended COVID-19 are not followed. prayer, held after the evening So far, security authorities have prayers, is introduced to daily implemented a curfew in the obligations: taraweeh. two holy cities of Mecca and Ordinarily, mosques would be Medina to 24 hours until further filled with worshippers, with the notice. Authorities have also faithful sometimes spilling out imposed a 24-hour lockdown in on to the streets. major cities, including Riyadh, Communal acts of worship are Jeddah, Dammam, Dhahran, believed to bring greater Tabuk, Al Hofuf, Taif, Al Qatif and rewards to Muslims but, this Khobar. year, mosques have been closed and social distancing will require 5. Taraweeh Prayers people to pray at home instead. During Ramadan, special prayers are conducted in mosques after 7

Awareness and Engagement Gulfex offering all employees coronavirus tests Gulf Extrusions, in collaboration resources, sales and marketing, with one of the advanced operations, security, housekeeping, healthcare providers in Dubai, and transportation staff. Mediclinic, launched coronavirus awareness campaign and tests for Apart from ensuring that employees at Gulfex premises. employees are using sanitisers regularly and wearing masks when As part of precautionary interacting with outsiders, Gulfex measures against coronavirus, are conducting health checks and Gulf Extrusions across Dubai and coronavirus tests for their Abu Dhabi are taking steps to employees. ensure the safety of their employees from COVID-19, Christian Witsch, Gulf Extrusions which has been spreading fast globally. CEO, highlighted the latest COVID- Awareness sessions have been 19 developments in the UAE and conducted for all employees, including management, human the outstanding preventive measures taken by Emirati authorities to combat the spread of the pandemic. 8

Mr. Witsch said: “These tests advisories on this global have been conducted in pandemic.” advanced screening equipment and centers which supports the The company also ban gatherings government's drive and and convening of cultural, social commitment to fight the novel and sporting activities at virus and protect the health, workers’ accommodation while safety and wellbeing of the minimising the number of community. It also reflects the workers during mealtime and robustness of our QHSE maintaining at least a two-meter systems and competency of our space between every two professionals” He added: “We workers. continue to develop and distribute a broad spectrum of By participating in coronavirus health & wellness campaign, we can assure our communications and frequently employees and their families that asked questions, tips and we are committed to actively fighting COVID-19 infection. Stay tuned with 9 NEWS, ACTIVITIES, INDUSTRY INSIGHTS AND MORE

Gulf Extrusions Monthly Magazine March 2020 I Issue 8 TOWARDS THE NEXT 50 TOWARDS A FUTURE OF POSSIBILITIES Gulf Extrusions LLC I A Subsidiary of Al Ghurair Group Fax: 00971 4 884 6830 Gulf Extrusions LLC, PO Box 5598, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel: 00971 4 884 6146 www.gulfex.com