Well for us it didn’t happen!
The Pubs shut, no one can get a haircut, the roads are empty.
But here it’s been business as usual. Well not really “as usual”. It’s been with some very significant changes to our working practices. We’ve had to reduce numbers to give everyone more room, we’ve adopted a “no visitors” policy where we’ve stopped allowing anyone non- essential into the factory, and we’ve upped our game for cleanliness and hygiene. Combined with enhanced PPE, a “fresh air” policy of having everything open and we’ve retracting into our own little “work bubble” but work has just had to carry on.
This hasn’t been because of ignorance nor a lack of appreciation for the need to “Protect the NHS” but it was because the NHS needed us. As the situation in the UK got worse several of our key clients in Medical, Infrastructure and Law Enforcement fields came to us and requested not just a continuation of operation but an enhancement! Fortunately, our clients in less essential roles understood and we were able to hold and delay several non-critical contracts to free up the capacity to respond.
So, what were we making?
Well, it seemed that everything became a massive rush. Building multiple temporary hospitals in record time? All those hospitals need new equipment, everything from Bench Legs to Ventilators were needed in record time and quantities needed ranging from the 1000’s of some parts to one off prototypes of others. We were happy to step up to the challenge and do our bit.
With the support of our superb supply chain and staff we were able to start manufacturing almost immediately, we had raw material coming in at one end and finished products going out the other at a rate never seen before and we’re proud to say we achieved everything that was asked of us.
We would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to the front-line NHS and Emergency Service Staff who’ve had to meet the challenge face on.
