As more shops, restaurants, hairdressers and other town centre businesses re-open, we're encouraging local businesses to source their personal protective equipment (PPE) from local suppliers.
Since the start of the pandemic, many Warwickshire firms have pivoted their businesses and started producing new PPE related products and services, so there are plenty of options for sourcing supplies from within the county.
To help identify businesses based in the area supplying PPE, the CW Chamber Recovery Hub and the ‘Find it in CW’ portal both have helpful lists.
The message is part of a wider campaign encouraging us all to Buy and Eat Local . When we buy from a local business we are supporting their suppliers their staff and their families. If every person in Warwickshire spent just £5 per week in the county, this would be worth around £122million annually to the local economy, so a little really does go a long way.
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Leader of Warwickshire County Council says: “We have many fantastic local firms now supplying a wide range high quality PPE. As businesses continue to ensure customers and staff remain safe, we hope as many firms as possible will source their PPE from local suppliers to boost our local economy, and support our local businesses.”
Many local firms have started creating high quality PPE products, including:
Shakespeare Distillery
A Stratford-upon-Avon based gin maker founded in 2015, is using its expertise in creating spirits to start the production of hand sanitiser alongside its regular distillation of gin, by re-purposing an area of the distillery. The product follows the World Health Organisation formula containing 80% alcohol, and is being supplied in 300ml and 5 litre bottles.
Peter Monks, owner of Shakespeare Distillery, says: “Our first deliveries of the hand sanitisers have now been produced and delivered, and we wanted to prioritise those who need it most, particularly in our local area. Now that key community groups, NHS staff and local businesses have started receiving orders, we are producing sanitisers for people across the wider region from all industries. We hope these sanitisers can help in some way to help these different people and groups to stay safe during these difficult times.”
Parker Masters
A Nuneaton based design and print shop now produces a range of products that aid workplace and public space social distancing such as signage for hand sanitiser stations, floor graphics and branded face masks.
Set up in 2009, the business had been specialising in innovating outdoor, UV-stable printing on to large outdoor dining furniture such as awnings, canopies, parasols, planters and café barrier screens, alongside the standard printing range. However, as Covid-19 hit, orders dried up overnight and the company decided to close temporarily. Parker Masters owner and MD, Jonathan Masters takes up the story:
“After a couple of weeks observing what was happening in supermarkets, post offices and other essential businesses, we decided to try to help local and national businesses create a plan of how to re-open using social distancing signage, hand sanitiser stations, floor graphics, branded face masks anything that could help to communicate to customers how they would be expected to behave when they entered the premises. We provided signage to a wide variety of organisations including Warwickshire Business Centres; Moto Motorway Services; Savills; KMPG (N.I.) and MBDA Missile Systems.
“But one of the biggest successes has been our urinal covers! We were approached by a client to develop a cost-effective covering for urinals. We produced a super high-tack self-adhesive vinyl, branded with company logos and messages about social distancing. We have been sending these across the country, and even as far as Belfast.”
“Now our core business has bounced back as well. Many cafes, pubs, restaurants and shops are needing to utilise their outside areas, for seating, serving, queuing and of course to protect their customer from the great British weather! We are currently developing a number of new items required due to coronavirus, such as easy clean outdoor planters, printed with any images or design.”
Autins
A Rugby based supplier of acoustic and thermal solutions to in the automotive industry has diversified into manufacturing face coverings.
Using special filtration technology their masks offer protection against dust, pollen and aerosol from coughs and sneezes. Made from the firm’s patented nonwoven micro-fibre Neptune, each mask is water repellent and washable. Developed and manufactured to the British Standard BS EN 14683 (classification pending), Autins’ face masks are currently undergoing testing for Europe-wide certification as a “medical devices.
More information on Autins’ face masks
For commercial enquiries and/or volume orders,contact: sales@autins.com.
