- Four more companies answer call to arms to manufacture PPE
- Millions more visors, aprons and gowns to be delivered over the next few months
- New contracts are part of the Government’s ‘Make’ initiative to harness UK production power
As part of the Government’s Make initiative to use the production power of the UK’s world-leading manufacturing sector, four new partnerships have been struck to rapidly produce and deliver PPE to frontline workers over the coming months.
The companies involved are:
- Peterborough-based Photocentric, which is are using an innovative 3D printing method to produce visors in large quantities. It will be supplying over 7.6 million protective visors over the next six months, with plans to scale up to making 500,000 visors a day if required
- Ramfoam, based in the West Midlands, will be manufacturing and delivering three million visors to the NHS per week. It is recruiting an additional 100 staff to ensure demand is met, scaling up to more than 160
- Hereford-based Elite Plastics has adapted its production lines to produce large volumes of aprons. Starting this week, 20 million will be delivered to the NHS and social care sector per month
- Macdonald and Taylor Healthcare, based in Warrington, has scaled up production of isolation gowns and scrubs, so far delivering 40,000 gowns a week for the last two months. It will now be providing an additional 50,000 gowns a week with government fabric for the next six months
Commenting on the deal, Lord Paul Deighton, adviser to the Health Secretary on PPE, said: “The response from our manufacturing industry has been phenomenal and I can’t thank them enough for their continued efforts.
We have already struck deals with around 30 UK companies to manufacture PPE and over 100 suppliers to deliver items at scale and pace. We will continue to identify further opportunities to get more PPE to the frontline rapidly
“Every health and care worker must have access to appropriate PPE and through this national effort we will ensure they do.
“We have already struck deals with around 30 UK companies to manufacture PPE and over 100 suppliers to deliver items at scale and pace. We will continue to identify further opportunities to get more PPE to the frontline rapidly.”
He added: “The Government has delivered over 1.65 billion pieces of PPE to the frontline and deals have already been struck with around 30 companies, including Amazon, Royal Mail and Jaguar Land Rover, through the Make initiative to produce much-needed PPE.
“We are also working with over 100 new suppliers to deliver at the scale and pace the UK requires.
Other examples of the contracts signed with UK-based manufacturers include:
- The Royal Mint will be providing over 1.9 million face visors over the next six months, with 54,000 being delivered a week
- A partnership with Amazon allows the Government to harness its global sourcing expertise
- eBay has provided a new platform, jointly developed with Clipper Logistics, that will allow primary, social, and community care providers to order from a range of PPE directly – the orders are then fulfilled by Clipper and shipped directly via Royal Mail
- Honeywell will produce more than 70 million face masks, creating 450 new jobs
- Survitec, a survival technology company, will begin producing gowns this month
- DTR Medical will be providing 1.3 million visors, with the first delivery expected next week
- Jaguar Land Rover is now manufacturing 14,000 visors a week for healthcare staff
- Burberry is manufacturing non-surgical gowns at its factory in Castleford and sourcing masks through its supply chain. To date, the company has donated over 100,000 pieces of PPE to the NHS and healthcare charities
- Companies:
- Honeywell
- DTR Medical
- Department of Health
- Photocentric
- Elite Plastics
- Ramfoam
- Macdonald and Taylor Healthcare
- Survitec
