1530: Coventry firm produces protective face visor in a week
A Coventry company has taken just a week to devise, design and supply a new protective face visor for the NHS – with 10,000 units dispatched within seven days.
Kite Packaging used its team of 12 engineers to design concepts for the visor and a prototype was tested locally by medics last weekend to allow production to start as soon as possible.
An initial batch will reach front line medical staff in the next few days and Kite is confident that they can produce 100,000 of the masks a week and will be able to supply them directly to help speed up supply to staff working for health trusts and organisations across the region and the UK.
The visors, which are shipped in kit form, have so far been ordered by the George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust, University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust, Shropshire Healthcare Procurement Service (SHPS), Alliance Boots, Warwick Hospital (South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust), Guys and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, North East London NHS Foundation Trust, and Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.
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1115: BCMPA welcomes new hand sanitiser rules
The British Contract Manufacturers and Packers Association (BCMPA) has praised the actions of UK Government agencies in relaxing rules over the manufacture of hand sanitiser.
Due to the spike in demand caused by the global coronavirus pandemic, the HSE is temporarily allowing hand sanitisers containing Propan-2-ol to be sold in the UK, and HMRC has prioritised applications to use denatured alcohol in hand sanitising products.
“The supply chain is critical at this time and, by introducing these measures, the Government has removed a number of potential barriers to the volume production of hand sanitiser products.," said Rodney Steel, chief executive of the BCMPA.
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1000: Business Response Network launched to help manufacturers connect with local community
Business in the Community – The Prince’s Responsible Business Network with over 750 companies in membership, have launched the National Business Response Network to identify community needs across the UK and match them to the right business support.
Through Business in the Community’s vast regional and local connections and leaders on the ground, the National Business Response Network identifies national and local community needs from community groups, schools, local authorities, local resilience bodies, charities and alliances such as the British Red Cross Voluntary and Community Sector Emergencies Partnership and small businesses. The network then connects business resources to meet the following needs:
The business resources we will be matching to community needs are:
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0930: VertoFX offers fee-free foreign exchange for manufacturers
Foreign exchange company, VertoFX, is offering fee-free processing of FX and international payments for any manufacturer involved in the coronavirus response effort.
For more information visit: www.vertofx.com. Alternatively, email diana@vertofx.com to find out more.
