For example: In a conversation between Steve Trainor of UK Extrusion Ltd - the UK supplier of Bandera extrusion technology - and medical device supplier Surgical Dynamics in Consett, the difficulties that Surgical Devices was having in getting supplies of quality sheet PET for their Guard-Ex Face Shields came up.
Coincidentally, UK Extrusion are currently installing a new PET extrusion line at rPET film manufacturer TDX, part of Italy-based AMB group. TDX is located in an area very close to Surgical Dynamics and, when they heard of the problem, offered to supply the required materials immediately. TDX produced the first 6 tonnes of sheet on its established Bandera sheet line, which have already been delivered Surgical Dynamics.
The additional Bandera extrusion line at TDX will be giving them an extra 10,000mt of capacity very shortly. Surgical Dynamics target is to produce 100,000 Face Shields per week and consistent supplies of high quality PET sheet to their production lines will be crucial to this effort.
And long-time partners Covestro and Albis are committed to doing all they can to make materials available for urgently needed respirator masks, ventilators, and protective eyewear. Covestro is working to meet the need for material solutions and to ensure the supply of raw materials approved for medical uses.
However, as demand runs high, many suppliers and manufacturers are battling bottlenecks in global delivery chains as well as limited transport capacities.
“Knowing how urgently the end products are needed motivates our teams even more to keep raw materials supply, production, and delivery processes running smoothly, so that the increased demand can be met with as few complications as possible,” said Stephan Schoen, director business line distribution Technical Polymers at Albis.
Their efforts are focused on securing logistics related to the warehouses from which materials are distributed all over Europe. In that sense, the ‘solid, reliable cooperation’ with Covestro has been a ‘crucial factor, Schoen added.
Albis’ Hamburg location also has its own medical compound production lines, which are currently running at full capacity.