Quadpack teams up with local charity networks, partners and industry colleagues to manufacture and provide protective equipment and supplies
The beauty packaging industry is coming together to offer aid to international COVID-19 relief efforts through local and national networks. Quadpack is working with its global supply partners and local charities to get protective visors, masks, gloves and hand sanitiser gel to the frontlines in Europe and the US.
The Quadpack Plastics injection-moulding facility in Catalonia, Spain, has adapted a mould to manufacture over 100,000 pieces for face shields. Quadpack took part in a coordinated effort with other companies in the area to produce the various parts of the visors, for easy assembly on-site by users. The first 15,000 visors have already been sent to hospitals, doctors’ offices, old people’s homes, pharmacies and town halls across Spain.
Similarly, Quadpack’s rapid prototyping centre in Leek, UK, is printing face shields and connecting pieces for ventilators using its Stratasys J850 3D printer, in response to an urgent call from North Midlands University Hospital. The team is working closely with OEM partner Stratasys and provider Tri-Tech3D, who is liaising with hospitals around the country to redesign shields and components for their healthcare workers.
Quadpack’s offices in China and South Korea are working with Asian partners to donate protective equipment and source hand sanitiser packaging for Europe and the US.
Some of the equipment is destined for use by Quadpack’s factory and warehouse staff in Germany and the US, with the majority of the material marked for donation to hospitals and care facilities.
Quadpack’s aid started with a initial donation of 300 standard face masks used in its wood factory in Spain to the staff at the Vic University Hospital in March. “It was an obvious gesture and it got the ball rolling,” said Quadpack CEO Tim Eaves. “We are all in the same situation and of course we will do our part in adapting to meet the current challenges. We welcome the chance to work with industry colleagues and community bodies towards a common goal. As a company, we believe in collaboration as a catalyst for positive change. We never contemplated that our facilities and expertise would be used in this fashion, but are grateful to be in a situation in which we are able to help.”