Looking Back to Move Forward in Navigating COVID-19

 

A new year provides not just an opportunity for reflection, but a reason to pause and think about the future. Tyler Kern, host of Talkin’ Shop with Walbro, spoke with Jerry Kibby, the company’s Executive Vice President and President of Engine Management, about the current state of the engine management business. They also looked forward to what’s going to come in the future.

According to Kibby, similar to a lot of different companies in their industry, there was a lot of “up and down” in 2020. He reported that Walbro started out the year pretty strong, but COVID-19 started to make waves in January.

“We got early indications that COVID-19 was going to have a pretty significant effect. We have a plant in China that we had to shut down in January, because, as everyone knows, that was where it all started,” Kibby said.

Once that happened, they took some proactive steps.

“Our CEO, Matt Riddle, did a very great job in preparing the rest of the facilities on the backdrop of our China facility having to shut down. So, we saw that coming. And, sure enough, March came and, as you know, all the restrictions started happening,” Kibby explained.

Kibby is very proud to report that no Walbro employees caught COVID-19 at any of their plants.

“With all the added measures that we put in place worldwide, we’re just very proud of them,” Kibby said.

To continue this conversation, subscribe to Talkin’ Shop with Walbro on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Commerce media
A Look at the Rise of Commerce Media Networks: How Nift Helps Brands Own How Their Message Shows Up
July 2, 2025

As traditional digital advertising struggles to retain consumer trust, brands are exploring new, more authentic ways to connect with shoppers. Platforms like commerce media networks, which weave together commerce, content, and data, are emerging as powerful tools in this shift. Research from MG2 Advisory reveals that only about 37% of consumers feel brands genuinely…

Read More
Hospitality leadership
Heart-First Hospitality Leadership: How Saying ‘Yes’ Transforms Guest Experiences, Boosts Staff Morale, and Drives Business Results
July 2, 2025

As the hospitality industry emerges from years of pandemic-driven upheaval, hospitality leadership is evolving to meet new challenges. Leaders are looking for new ways to retain staff, elevate guest satisfaction, and drive revenue without burning out their teams. One trend gaining traction is the power of “Yes”: empowering employees to say yes more often,…

Read More
civic leadership
Mayor Gerard Hudspeth’s Civic Leadership Journey: What Politics Teaches About People
July 2, 2025

What does a mayor learn about human nature? In this episode of Professional Quotient: Conversations that Build Equity, host Jason Winningham sits down with Gerard Hudspeth, longtime mayor of Denton, Texas, and a respected figure in civic leadership. Drawing from his years in public service, Hudspeth explores how leading a city reveals the core…

Read More
sepsis
Debunking Sepsis Myths – Episode 1
July 1, 2025

In the first episode of The Michael Rothman podcast, we address misconceptions about sepsis in healthcare. Although it’s often claimed that sepsis accounts for nearly a third of hospital deaths, many of these deaths are linked to chronic conditions with sepsis as a secondary factor. The frequently cited statistic that delays in treating sepsis increase…

Read More