After issuing a call to arms to business
to help supply or manufacture PPE, the
WMCA has teamed up with Medilink
WM, the region’s industry association
for the life sciences and medical tech-
nology sectors and the WMAHSN’s
link to the wider industry, who have
been supporting the recruitment of suit-
able businesses.
Two of many businesses that came for-
ward were Autins Group PLC, special-
ists in providing materials and products
for acoustic and thermal management
solutions, and Contechs Holdings Ltd, a
T1 automotive design, development &
trimming consultancy.
Both companies were exploring how manufacturing capabilities, facilities and skills could be used to address the issue of supplying PPE products but thanks to the WMAHSN, industrial gateway team they are now working collaboratively.
Initially, Autins was manufacturing face
masks utilising its skills and knowledge
of specialist acoustic and insulation
materials and Contechs was supporting
specialist workwear companies with
preparing material to produce scrubs,
using its large cutting platform.
Both these companies would have had to furlough all, or the majority of their staff
and their manufacturing technology
would otherwise have been dormant
due to the shutdown of the automotive
sector was it not for this work.
Chris Dyke, Connectivity Manager at
Medilink WM, the WMAHSN industry
gateway organisation, said: “The COV-
ID-19 pandemic has meant that a lot of
organisations have had to explore new
ways of working and that WMAHSN
had to call upon the region’s businesses
to help keep our healthcare workforce
safe.
Not only have we been successful
in finding organisations via the WMCA
Challenge that can help with this, but
we have also managed to link two busi-
nesses together that will benefit from
each other’s knowledge and expertise
long-term.”
Andy Street, the Mayor of the West
Midlands and chair of the WMCA,
said: “It is great to see two local com-
panies with no prior experience of PPE
manufacturing coming together to help
support the West Midlands during this
difficult time.
“I know these are just two of many busi-
nesses across the region who answered
our call to arms, and the response from
organisations looking to help has been brilliant to see”
