Italian glass manufacturers and technology suppliers have said business is carrying on as close to normal, after the country went into lock down.

The Italian government decreed the company should be placed into lock down in an effort to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus around the country.

The safety guidelines have meant bars, restaurants and public places have all been closed, while restrictions are in place restricting unnecessary travel.

Italian companies such as pharmaceutical glass manufacturer Bormioli Pharma, furnace provider Falorni Tech and glass decoration specialist Fermac are continuing business as normal.

Andrea Lodetti, CEO of Bormioli Pharma said the government decrees had not limited its operations at its plants in Bergantino, Castelguelfo, Rivanazzano and San Vito al Tagliamento, as well as facilities in France and Germany.

He told customers: “We want to reassure you that we are continuing to operate under normal conditions.”

The company has issued strict safety guidelines aim at protecting the health of its employees.

All preventative measures recommended by the World Health Organization and by the Italian Ministry of Health have been fully implemented for weeks.

The company’s supply chain has been confirmed as safe and efficient. Key suppliers had been contacted and an assessment performed of its capability to secure delivery in the countries it serves.

He added: “As of today, most orders will be delivered as per our order confirmation and standard delivery times.

"Possible minor delays could be experienced in relation to the increased level of safety measures applied during loading and unloading of trucks.”

Riccardo Scarselli, General Manager of Falorni Gianfranco, the head company of Falorni Tech, said there had been no ‘significant impact on its in-house production at Falorni Tech and Falorni Art Glass Divisions’.

The company constructs furnace equipment such as burners or combustion systems, and niche furnaces for crystal manufacturing.

He said the company will use virtual meeting spaces to maintain contact with customers outside of Italy.

Alessandro Ghirardini, Sales Manager at Fermac, said: "The whole company and its collaborators are currently fully productive. At the moment administrative and commercial activities are also continuing normally."

He added: “Normal production activities are currently guaranteed and we are keeping production activities as active as possible.”