Molino Chabás S.A. se encuentra ubicado en la localidad de Chabás, provincia de Santa Fe, en el Centro-Este de la República Argentina. Emplazado en la región núcleo agrícola productiva de la Argentina, afianzanda en el cultivo de cereales y oleaginosas desde el asentamiento de sus primeros pobladores allá por 1882. Molino Chabás SA, es una empresa familiar, que persigue como objetivo, brindar el mejor servicio a sus clientes, mediante la incorporación de tecnología, innovación y calidad en sus productos. Durante el transcurso de la Pandemia de COVID-19 nuestra empresa no se detuvo en ningún momento proveyendo el oro blanco para la población.
Crown Flour Mills, more commonly known as CFM, initiated its operations in 1952 as a modest mill capable of milling 40 tons of wheat per day. All original machines were branded “Robinson”: The British top-of-the-line equipment at that time. From then and until present, only a few changes occurred. When the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) hit, it was a miracle that the mill survived. In 1991, and after 25 years of government wheat import controls, flour subsidies, and direct bread controls, the Lebanese Government liberalized the imports of wheat and allowed the private mills to operate freely on the Lebanese Market. Since then, Lebanon’s Milling Industry went through a major restructuring and reinvestment period, which lead to an increase of the number of mills operating in Lebanon. Today, the total mills count reaches twelve. It was at that time when the great march of Crown Flour Mills started into modernization, automation, quality control, sanitation, and ISO Certifications and many other fields that contributed to the current standing of CFM. Since 1992, CFM has invested carefully and judiciously in new machinery, extension building, a new silos storage for wheat storage and continuous employee training.
Today, CFM consists of 3 production lines, equipped by the well-known Giants Buhler and Sangati. It currently owns a production capacity of 430 tons of flour per day. CFM provides its customers constantly with daily fresh flour.
CFM’s first agony started with the devaluation of the Lebanese currency in October 2019 and then the Corona Virus Pandemic hit the entire world in February 2020. From thereon, its fight with time began. The Lebanese government started implementing rules and regulation to decrease the impact of the virus spread. As an act of responsibility, CFM was the first to abide by those rules in order to protect its employees and their families. However, as the situation got worse, the medical field got overwhelmed and exhausted, leading to more restrictions applied across the country. Due to CFM’s dedication, the flour consumer was never affected, and it kept on supplying all its customers the required amounts of high-end flour.
August 4, 2020 was a terrible day to all of Lebanon. An explosion happened at the Port of Beirut which was ranked 3rd largest in the world. Unfortunately, and besides devastating most of Beirut and its surrounding areas, the explosion severely destroyed the wheat silos located at the Port. The biggest fear that raced through people’s mind was hunger, as flour is the main ingredient to everything. Desperation overtook people. With the tough effect that Covid-19 left on the economy, with the exhaustion of the medical field due to the virus, and with the financial instability in the country, hope was no longer present. Normally, any business would take the decision to shut down. Crown Flour Mills, however, did not give up, even after the big blast that affected it the most. CFM moved forward and kept its head high by renting new silos and brought in new wheat vessels in order to make sure that the Lebanese population had enough flour to cover all demands. The Emergency team at CFM made sure that all necessary procedures were taken in order to make everything happen on time, to avoid any shortage or hunger strikes across the country. It is with an initiative like this that CFM was able to proudly stand next to the Lebanese population after everyone witnessed a huge loss to the country, its capital.
Today, Crown Flour Mills describes itself as a motivated and driven organization that promises the end consumer the best wheat quality it can offer no matter the circumstances. Economic instability, financial problems, pandemics, and even nuclear bombs will never stand in the way of CFM doing what it does best: Feed the nation healthy, nutritious, and great tasting flour since 1952.
The first case of Covid-19 was reported in Oman on 24th February 2020. These cases involved two Omani citizens returned from Iran. The number of cases started increasing steadily in March 2020. Omani nationals stranded in other countries were airlifted to Oman as the pandemic spread all over the world like a wildfire.
On 14 March, the Supreme Committee of Oman decided to suspend all classes in schools, universities and other educational institutions. In early April 2020 the Supreme Committee announced new restrictions which included stopping the entry of foreigners apart from GCC citizens and foreign residents via all land and sea borders, quarantining all arrivals, and the closures of public parks and gardens. It was also declared that Friday prayers were to be stopped and social gatherings banned.
The above restrictions had a severe impact on the general public, who went on a buying spree for fear of an indefinite shutdown of grocery stores. Restrictions were imposed on supermarkets, restaurants and other outlets to keep working hours to a minimum and maintain social distancing.
Salalah Mills Co. was well prepared to deal with any type of emergency situation, as it had earlier faced such situations when Salalah was hit by two major cyclones, Gonu on 7th June 2007 and Mekunu on 25th May 2018. Our operations never stopped for a single day during those devastating cyclones.
From the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, emergency meetings were called by Top Management, special emergency teams were formed and special work schedules were prepared for the employees, so that social distancing could be maintained without affecting the work. In the early stages of the pandemic employees were given the option to work from home. Only essential staff were allowed to work on a shift basis. Such preparations by the company ensured an uninterrupted supply of flour products all over Oman.
Although the Government restricted movement between the governorates by setting up checkpoints on entry and exit points on the roads, there were exemptions for vehicles transporting foodstuffs, and hence it was no problem for Salalah Mills Co. to transport the flour products to anywhere in Oman through the Mills’ own distribution centres located in Muscat, Nizwa, Sohar, Sinaw & Sur.
Although the shelves in supermarkets were emptied by the general public very fast, due to panic buying and stockpiling, our Sales team was always active to replenish the stock of flour products at retail outlets.
Bakeries were also badly affected by the pandemic due to shortages of flour products. However, as the biggest flour mill in Oman, Salalah Mills was able to fulfill the needs of bakeries by supplying flour in time.
Despite all the odds, the Salalah Mills Co. was also able to continue exports of flour to other countries without any interruption.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF SALALAH MILLS COMPANY
Salalah Mills Co. S.A.O.G., a joint stock company, was formally established 25th September, 1995.
The company is strategically located in Raysut Industrial Estate, near the Port of Salalah. Ever since it commenced commercial production the company has been catering to the needs of society through its premium quality wheat products. The company supplies the growing markets of Oman, Yemen and East Africa. The company has grown over the years. The company presently produces 1500 M.T. of flour per day, which is the highest in Oman compared to other flour mills in this region.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Ever since the emergence of Covid-19 Pandemic Salalah Mills Co. was in the forefront to help the needy. Several local people and other nationalities stranded and isolated due to lockdown and quarantine were facing shortage of foodstuffs. Many social organizations approached Salalah Mills to support them by donating flour products. The Board of Directors of Salalah Mills co. were kind enough to issue special orders to sanction donations to such organizations to help such people by supplying flour products free of cost.
As a special gesture Salalah Mills contributed R.O. 134000/- (Approx. US Dollar 348,050) to Sultan Qaboos Hospital for buying Lab equipment for Covid-19 testing during the pandemic.
