The impact of the Covid-19 can be felt and seen across the globe as well as at our company. At Linde, we are committed first and foremost to the health and safety of our employees, customers, contractors, business partners, as well as the communities and environment in which we operate.
As a leading producer and supplier of industrial and medical gases, including services and therapies in the segment of respiratory treatment, we remain fully dedicated to safe operational standards and reliable supply for our customers.
We continually follow developments. In addition to our standard operation practices, we have taken additional precautions regarding travel and hygiene, as well as managing expected behaviours of our employees and external contractors, in order to limit, insofar as possible, the spread of the virus and ensure continuity of production and supply.
We are in constant contact with the local authorities responsible for Covid-19, and we are implementing the necessary solutions, including contingency plans, on an ongoing basis to ensure operational security and supply stability in the face of increasing gas demand and the complexity of the distribution process. Our contingency plans include various options for operational and supply solutions, as well as variations in staffing and the replenishing of reserves. However, extraordinary and unforeseen circumstances resulting from the continued spread of the pandemic and the prioritization of supplies to hospitals and medical facilities may result in delivery delays and temporary product shortages.
Linde has a strong track record of successfully navigating challenging times and we are working closely with all our stakeholders. We are proud of the work our employees are doing around the world and we believe that by working closely together, we will manage to get through these challenging times and continue our mutual success for many years to come.