Kickstart: The state of the cleaning industry

We're starting to see the impact of the coronavirus shutdown on some companies, including material suppliers, who are seeing drops in demand and falling share prices.

On the flip side, publicly traded The Clorox Co. saw its quarterly sales grow 15 percent year over year for the January-March time period, with sales in its cleaning division — covering bleach, wipes and other household cleaning products — rising 32 percent.

"Our hearts go out to everyone who has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We're privileged to be in a position to serve the public health during this time," said Chairman and CEO Benno Dorer in a news release announcing the company's third-quarter results on May 1.

Clorox, based in Oakland, Calif., has some in-house production of bottles for its cleaning products and also is a big user of low density polyethylene for storage and trash bags.

The company expects organic sales growth of up to 8 percent for its 2019-20 fiscal year, up from earlier estimates from late 2019 of up to 2 percent organic growth.

Clorox officials added that it is making "temporary investments to support employees who are on the front lines involved in product manufacturing and shipping, including increased wages and benefits as well as enhanced operational safety measures."

Canada's CBC news program The National headed to Mitchell Plastics' Kitchener, Ontario, headquarters plant to learn more about what auto suppliers are doing to support front-line workers.

Normally, Mitchell Plastics' 2,700 employees make center consoles for automakers. Its operations include 275 injection molding presses, ranging in size from 40 to 1,500 tons. But with the auto industry shut down, so is the bulk of the company.

But President Joe D'Angelo told The National that the company wanted to contribute, comparing the work to supply protective equipment and other health care items to a wartime effort.

"We want to have an impact," D'Angelo said. "We want to hear that there's no longer this shortage of PPE out there and hope that one day we can say we had an impact to improve the situation."

Mitchell began by making face shields as part of a concerted effort supported by Canada's auto parts group APMA. It now has been asked if it can produce testing swabs. Its engineers are working to confirm it can meet sterilization requirements.

If there's one thing COVID-19 has taught us, it's that heroes don't wear capes and are, in fact, all around us. Toymaker Mattel has now launched a series of action figures under its Fisher-Price brand honoring medical staff, EMTs, delivery drivers and more.

The #ThankYouHeroes of "Community Champions" is the first of what El Segundo, Calif.-based Mattel says will be a series of brand efforts within the company to honor front-line workers and give back to communities.

The figures are available in multiple skin tones and genders and feature 16 different action figures. All net proceeds will go to First Responders First, an initiative to support health care workers.

One quick reminder: Sign up now for a panel discussion (conducted remotely, of course) with two members of the Rising Stars class of 2020, beginning 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6.

Editor Don Loepp and Web Producer Erin Sloan will host the livestream and feature Caitlin DeMasellis of Ideal Machinery Inc. and Jeremy Jackson— of Osterman & Co.