Toly employees back on five-day week operation

Toly Products employees will be returning to a five-day week operation after benefitting from government measures, including the COVID Wage Supplement, at the peak of the first wave of the pandemic.

The company started its operations in Malta in 1971. Throughout its 49-year history, it has grown exponentially and now employs 320 employees.

Through the COVID Wage Supplement issued between March and July, Toly benefitted from more than €185,000, enabling the company to overcome this difficult period.

On a visit to the company, Economy Minister Silvio Schembri said that the supportive economic measures launched by the government amid unprecedented adversities were demonstrating their long-term sustainability.

“Toly’s main priority, that of safeguarding jobs, mirrors accurately our own. During the pandemic, which has affected each sector across the globe, Toly employees had to be furloughed to a four-day week operation,” he said.

“Today I welcome the news that the workers will soon be returning to a five-day week. I am delighted that the help of government through the salient measures and schemes launched, served as an essential support to safeguard all jobs to enable you to pursue your operations.”

Schembri said that this highlighted the need for the Wage Supplement to be allocated in a timely and efficient manner when needed and immediately, to help the industry weather the storm caused by the pandemic on a global economic level.

“We shall also continue to explore all avenues to enable and facilitate the bolstering of innovation for the benefit of our industry,” he said. “It was indeed of great pleasure to hear about Toly’s ambitious investment projects which are in the pipeline and complement our vision in shifting to a circular economy.”

Andy Gatesy, Chairman and CEO of Toly Products, said that being a privately-owned business with a strong family spirit, Toly has a long-term vision and wants Malta to remain at the centre of its business.

“We are customer-centric with a global commercial structure. We are technically proficient with state-of-the-art manufacturing and have created a business model which is agile and is disrupting a traditional packaging business.”

Gatesy said he was confident that, although COVID-19 had disrupted the beauty industry, the sector would bounce back once consumer confidence was regained.

“In the meantime, the key is to keep people safe, protect jobs and retain the soul of our company,” he said. “I thank the government for the continuous support towards manufacturing. I’d also like to thank the employees for their commitment and sacrifices over the past few months”.

CEO of Malta Enterprise Kurt Farrugia thanked the management, GWU, and the employees for coming together to overcome the diffuculties.

“Even during this difficult period, there are plans by a number of manufacturing companies to expand and modernise their plants, not only consolidating their workforce but also positioning themselves to increase employment in the coming months,” he said.

“Manufacturing is a major sector, which greatly contributes to our vision for sustainable economic development. As Malta Enterprise, we extend our support in all possible ways.”