RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. — Giti Tire (USA) Ltd. is continuing to operate its factory in South Carolina and five U.S. distribution centers without interruption during the COVID-19 pandemic but is prepared to make "necessary adjustments as needed in a timely manner."
Giti said it is closely monitoring and following local authority orders, Centers for Disease Control and Federal Emergency Management Agency guidelines to ensure the health and safety of its employees, customers, suppliers and community.
Giti noted its decision to continue operations is in support of its customers, the auto service retailers, who are considered an "essential business," according to U.S. Homeland Security guidance.
The company said it started a few weeks ago to take actions to address the COVID-19 pandemic, including restrictions on travel, postponement of events, telecommuting of office employees, enforcement of social distancing, distribution of additional personal protective equipment to employees, additional cleaning and sanitizing procedures for common areas and in high exposure areas and other safety protocols in the distribution centers and tire plant.
Giti opened its lone U.S. tire plant in 2017 in Richburg, S.C. It maintains warehouses at that facility, at its headquarters in Rancho Cucamonga and in Portland, Tenn.; Coppell, Texas; and Pataskala, Ohio.