Typhoon International joins the 1,000-strong PPE army.
Better known as a world leader in the manufacture of wetsuits, drysuits and safety equipment for the marine sector, Typhoon International Ltd has been continuing to play its part in supporting NHS and key frontline workers. The company is contributing on a pro-bono basis to help a growing volunteer organisation to produce PPE equipment.
What started as a handful of volunteers making scrub bags swelled within a matter of days to over 1,000 home-based volunteers and commercial organisations, which included Typhoon, making scrub bags, scrubs, scrub hats, headbands, masks and disposable PPE gowns.
Typhoon International, based in Redcar, Cleveland, and which is part of a group of safety equipment companies, is using the factory resources of its associate company ISP (International Safety Products), of Bootle, Merseyside to cut the patterns for thousands of PPE gowns – gowns which are being cut by staff more used to cutting out fabrics for lifejackets.
Typhoon International joined in the effort which originated in the south of England. At the start PPE gowns were being cut from recycling bags issued by the New Forest District Council and sewn together. Scrubs fabrics, too, started off hand cut but are now laser cut by Typhoon as well as by a south coast sail making company. Scrub bags were being made from cut up duvet covers to allow health workers to safely take home and wash their scrubs. Several innovations led to increasingly efficient production and Typhoon International joined the various manufacturers to help cut the gown plastic en masse.
Typhoon’s cut fabrics are then heading back to the Southampton area ready for the volunteers to finish them. It was the marine connections of Typhoon’s management, some of whose operations are based in the New Forest area, what connected north with south to help make this largely voluntary operation such a success.
The much-welcomed finished PPE is going to Southampton, Winchester, Bournemouth and Lymington Hospitals as well as to GPs, care homes, hospices and to other health workers. Representatives from these organisations have gratefully received these supplies, which are vital to helping keep staff and patients safe.
So far 8,000 PPE gowns have been made, 5,000 in the last week. This shows the rapid growth of the project.