CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Illinois manufacturers are asking the state and the City of Chicago to exempt their businesses from any shutdown orders during the coronavirus pandemic. Mark Denzler, President of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, has sent letters to Governor Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot asking them to designate all manufacturing facilities and supply chains—and their workers—as “essential” to the health and safety of Illinois.
"Our members are making food and medical products and respirators and all the essential products that we need to address this living healthcare challenge," he said.
But can all factories really be essential? Denzler said yes. They don’t want their factories and employees idled, even if they’re not making safety or medical equipment or processing food.
"If someone is excluded that may be an important part of a supply chain. I will give you an example, if chemical manufacturing is not included, those products then go to another manufacture that makes cleaners and disinfectants," he said.
"It may be packaging, well if packaging is not allowed, you can't then ship medical supplies and food, so they are all so inter-related."
The Association says nearly 600,000 men and women are working on factory floors statewide.And he hopes it all keeps going.