Warwickshire businesses encouraged to source their PPE from local suppliers

Businesses in Warwickshire are being encouraged to use other local businesses when sourcing their person protective equipment (PPE).

The message has come from Warwickshire County as more shops, restaurants, hairdressers and other town centre businesses re-open.

Since the start of the pandemic, many Warwickshire firms have pivoted their businesses and started producing new PPE related products and services.

The message is part of a wider campaign encouraging residents to 'buy and eat local'.

The council said that 'if every person in Warwickshire spent £5 per week in the county, this would be worth around £122million annually to the local economy'.

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Leader of Warwickshire County Council said: “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 PPE products, the council has highlighted the following businesses:

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 per cent alcohol, and is being supplied in 300ml and five litre bottles.

Peter Monks, owner of Shakespeare Distillery, said: “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.

Parker Masters owner and MD, Jonathan Masters, said: “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.”

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.

Useful links:

To help identify businesses in the area supplying PPE, the CW Chamber Recovery Hub and the ‘Find it in CW’ portal both have helpful lists:

https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/covid-19-recovery-hub/ppe-providers/ http://www.finditincw.co.uk/ For more information on the 'shop eat local, campaign go to: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/buyeatlocal For more information on Shakespeare Distillery go to: https://shakespearedistillery.com/

For more information on Parker Masters products go to: www.parker-masters.co.uk

For more information on Autins go to: https://autins.com/