Wigan firm joins national effort to make protective equipment in coronavirus pandemic

Redwood Technical Textiles and Specialist Manufacturing has signed a contract to produce 377,000 gowns for frontline NHS and healthcare workers.

The firm realised its employees' skills were transferable to making the gowns and the new deal means it has has continued to employ up to 150 people who may otherwise have been

furloughed.

It comes as the Government announces two billion items of PPE have now been delivered to the frontline since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Amid unprecedented global pressures on supply chains, 341m masks, 313m aprons, four million gowns and 1.1 billion gloves have been delivered to workers.

Lord Paul Deighton, adviser to the Health Secretary on PPE, said: “A significant factor in the milestone announced today has been the phenomenal response from British industry and I can’t thank them enough for the role they have played.

“Redwood TTM, based in Wigan, have transformed their factory from manufacturing mattresses to providing hundreds of thousands of gowns for NHS and social care staff, joining the national effort to get more PPE to the frontline.

“It’s vital every health and care worker has access to the PPE they need and it’s companies like Redwood TTM who have made this happen.”

Almost 28 billion items of PPE have been ordered overall from UK-based manufacturers and international partners to provide a continuous supply in the coming months.

This will help protect NHS and care staff, allowing them to continue to save lives and provide high-quality care to those who need it.

Matt Hancock, Health and Social Care Secretary, said: “Coronavirus has placed unprecedented global demands on PPE supply chains. To tackle this we set a national challenge calling on companies to channel their manufacturing power into manufacturing much-needed PPE, and brought in Lord Deighton who has truly delivered once more for his country.

“Two billion items of PPE have now been delivered to the frontline, and a further 28 billion items sourced, that will protect frontline workers well into the future.

“It is thanks to the herculean effort from UK industry, the NHS and departmental teams, our diplomatic teams abroad, and the armed forces that we have now hit this impressive milestone.”

The normal supply chain for PPE was designed to accommodate delivery to 226 NHS trusts, but essential PPE supplies are now being supplied to 58,000 different settings, including care homes, hospices and community care organisations.

More than 30 deals have been struck with companies, including the Royal Mint, Jaguar Land Rover and Honeywell, to manufacture and deliver PPE in the UK.

The Government is also working with more than 175 new suppliers and around 20 per cent of all PPE will be manufactured in the UK by the end of the year.

Contracts for billions of items of PPE were negotiated by a team led by Defence Equipment and Support, the procurement arm of the Ministry of Defence.

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