British American Tobacco Argentina (Bat, former nobility piccardo), which controls the brands Lucky Strike, Camel, Parisiennes and Pallmall, among others, denounced that its industrial activity in the country is at the edge of the collapse, as a consequence of the impossibility ofRestart the production of the plant located in the Pilar Industrial Park, despite having presented all the biosafety protocols contemplated by the national, provincial and municipality authorities ".

In a statement, the company, with 120 years in the country, stressed that unfortunately we are prevented from resuming the activity, despite having submitted all the biosafety protocols planned to preserve the health of workers and the community of Pilar.

Our plant remains closed, while 60% of the industrial park is active.This contrasts with what happened with the rest of the tobacco companies that, located in the province of Buenos Aires, have already started production, which generates a tremendous impact at the economic and market level, which puts our operational sustainability at risk,Bat warned.

In fact, its main competitor, Massalin private (Marlboro and Philip Morris) reopened its Merlo plant last Tuesday and plans to reach the kiosks between Thursday and Friday in Buenos Aires and Greater Buenos Aires and, in a week, in a week,to the rest of the country.Also Sarandí Tobacacalera (Red Point and Master) was able to produce again in its Avellaneda plant.

In addition, the AFIP enabled the importation of cigarettes until September 30 for companies in the tobacco sector "to avoid shortage of the local market".As the plants were closed since March 20, for a little over a week cigarettes have not been achieved in any kiosk;It only remained (for the moment) tobacco to assemble.

Thus, the Bat situation is clear disadvantage against its competitors.

We are aware of the good predisposition of Pilar's mayor.However, the delay in the authorization to re -produce puts at risk the work sources of almost 300 people assigned to the plant.Every day we cannot operate, it is a step that brings us closer to the definitive closure, because the market is in the hands of the competitors, feeding a discriminatory act that harms us, the company said.

Oh my God, oh my God, Help Help Help Subked Hacked My Credit Card and UPPed My Limit and Now I Have 0 Available Cr ... https: // t.CO/1VYLSPNWW

— Lucy she/her Mon Jul 13 18:24:27 +0000 2020

The recent administrative decision 763/2020 excepts tobacco companies and the personnel affected by their activity of preventive and mandatory isolation, so the operations of the factories are enabled, after the closure recorded from last March 20.

Throughout this period the company acted responsibly, paying salaries despite the economic impact and market loss.If you do not return to work immediately, it will be impossible to pay salaries and hold the activity, said the company.

This week, Bat developed and presented, in a timely manner, a strict biosafety protocol that respects the regulations and health guidelines established by the national, provincial and municipality of Pilar authorities to achieve the immediate authorization to operate.

The rigorous safety and hygiene protocol establishes, among multiple aspects, that plant employees are transferred in vehicles provided by the company with guaranteed traceability, so that they can only make their displacement from end to end, that is, from theirresidence to the workplace and vice versa.In a complementary way, employees will be encouraged to remain in a hotel located in the municipality of Pilar, especially hired for this purpose, all of which contributes to fulfilling the premise raised by the authorities in the sense of limiting the displacements of the people andThe non -use of public transport.

In addition, all employees presented an affidavit about their health status, in addition to the provisions of daily medical controls before entering the establishment, while the security measures and the use of protection elements will be extreme.

Finally, Bat Argentina ratified in its statement its full vocation for dialogue so that the national, provincial and municipality authorities of Pilar access all the information they require on the protocols and carry out the audits and controls that they consider in order to allow reopeningImmediate of industrial operation.