The UK plastics industry is playing a key role during the coronavirus pandemic by helping companies meet sudden spikes in demand for products such as medical packaging, as well as components for ventilators.
The British Plastics Federation (BPF)
The BPF, which represents 85% of the UK plastics industry by turnover, has been liaising with key government departments such as the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on a daily basis to ensure key advice and guidance reaches the industry, as well as to share insights, unique data and key concerns.
Additionally, the BPF has been fielding daily enquiries from a huge range of organisations, including the UK government, Scottish Government and Welsh Government. These have included over 35 urgent calls for materials, bottles, lids, visors and components for ventilators, amongst others. Through its knowledge of the supply chain, the BPF has been able to help source supplies.
To help the plastics industry get all the information it needs, the BPF has also made its webinars available for everyone to attend, although only its members will have access to the recordings. These webinars cover everything from energy management during partial shutdowns to the impact of Covid-19 on polymer supply.
BPF director general Philip Law commented: “The plastics industry is vital in the fight against Covid-19. Despite the challenges every business is facing right now, we have been helping to feed the nation, protect key workers and supply a wide range of essential medical supplies, including components for ventilators. I’m proud of how our industry has stepped up and shown its true colours during this time of crisis.”
Plastics manufacturers rise to the challenge
Many medical plastics manufacturers have found themselves under unprecedented pressure. As a result, these companies have altered their typical manufacturing schedules in order to produce essential products at rapid speed.
On 5th April, Rutland MP Alicia Kearns wrote that Rutland Plastics should be “rightly recognised for simply outstanding national spirit”, after the company began producing medical equipment for the Nightingale Ward Hospital at the ExCel Centre.
Another manufacturer, Numatic, has also developed and manufactured face shields in response to the Covid-19 outbreak. Its face shield is currently in use at the Worcestershire NHS Trust, West Midlands Ambulance Service, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and The Gibraltar Health Authority.
Plastics manufacturer, Polystar Plastics, has said it will donate £5 to the NHS for every tonne of its new PCWflex material sold in 2020, as a sign of gratitude for the UK’s outstanding NHS staff. Companies like Cromwell Polythene are also producing clinical waste sacks, gloves and aprons.
It should be noted that some manufacturers have shifted to 24/7 production and are using innovations like the Intouch i4 Cloud to facilitate this. The manufactures are therefore able to leave the machines completely unmanned during the weekend. This ensures increased production, whilst keeping staff safe.
Demand has also risen for medical packaging, as well as hand sanitiser bottles and lids. Ineos announced on 24th March that it would build a hand sanitiser plant in just ten days that was capable of producing one million bottles per month.
Finally, as companies have been working hard to meet unprecedented demand, UL has been offering Safety Data Sheets (SDS) free of charge, which are required by those manufacturing and shipping hand sanitisers. It is also offering free ‘pandemic awareness’ courses.
Footnotes
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