The Aureus Group CEO interviewed by Danish broadcasting corporation

Tom Bemiller, CEO of The Aureus Group, continues to work with his team to find ways to save the company during the coronavirus pandemic. He was recently interviewed by Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) for a news spot in Denmark about the effects of COVID-19 in America. Watch the spot here.

Here is the translation provided by DR:

ENG START - 00.00

STEFFEN KRETZ, KORRESPONDENT - 00.00

(Soundbite, auto-shop)

“........”

(Speak)

There is just a single car for repair at this auto-shop just outside of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania.

(Soundbite)

“........”

(Speak)

Otherwise, it is quiet. Very quiet. There is a good reason for this.

(02.30)

TOM BEMILLER, AUTO-SHOP OWNER - 00.00

“Our business is collision repair, and when no one is driving, no one wrecks their car. 02.36”

(Speak)

The owner has just laid off 40% of his employees due to the coronavirus crisis. They are now part of the brutal statistic that show that millions of Americans have lost their jobs in the past few weeks. This may only be the beginning.

(04.01)

“You know the scariest part of this, we don’t know when its gonna end. (04.04)”

(04.15)

TOM BEMILLER, AUTO-SHOP OWNER - 00.00

“I don’t know how long I have to keep it going. So every single bill we have to pay, we are making phone calls to ask, what’s the minimum we can pay or can we delay payments?” (04.25)

(Speak -empty streets)

In just a few weeks, the US has experienced an economic downturn of historic proportions. From a booming economy to a complete standstill. Entire sectors of the economy are paralysed and fighting for survival.

Just like at the auto-shop, there are no customers and the revenue has dried up.

(01.42)

“We have been feverishly reaching out to our vendors ... our bank .. to ask for relief. Asking them for patience, we are trying to delay payments as much as possible, we are trying to renegotiate whatever we can.”

(Speak -)

The situation in the US is more serioius than in Denmark. Here, they do not have any social safety net – most American will also lose access to healthcare if laid off.

(39.45)

Employee - 00.00

“Health insurance is through my job, so I will have to figure something out and find another job and get health insurance as soon as I can. Won’t be able to afford health insurance without a job.” (39.55)

(Speak – auto-shop)

PHOTO/EDIT: JACOB ALBERT LORENZEN - 00.00

Last week, the US Congress agree to an unprecedented financial relief package designed to assist small - and medium size business owners. It is still uncertain whether or not the financial assistance will be enough to safe the auto-shop here.

(04.56)

“All of my family’s income is generated from this business, so that’s pretty scary.” (05.02)

(07.03 - )

“I won´t survive, if I don´t get help. That’s the truth.” (07.07)

END - 00.00