We learnt of a timely reminder earlier this week about how important supply chains are during the current unprecedented situation.
Ongoing and vital supplies of medical gloves in Malaysia, where 3 in every 5 of the world’s glove supply is manufactured, all but ground to a halt after the packaging industry in that country wasn’t recognised as a vital part in that supply chain.
As such, production continued, at reduced speeds, but with only a two-week supply of onward packaging, bringing a finite time to the vital production line; all because of the cardboard box.
This is why we and our colleagues across the UK Packaging Industry are working hard to make sure this doesn’t happen in the UK. We are all busy supplying vital production lines that, without packaging, wouldn’t be able to ship their products to hospitals, pharmacies, food outlets and more, less obvious yet equally important suppliers.
Those companies that may not, at first glance, appear essential but in actual fact are include – chemical companies supplying sterilising and cleaning products to hospitals and supermarkets; drugs companies supplying vital ongoing medical care to those most vulnerable in our society, not just the drugs directly related to Covid-19. The engineering companies that are manufacturing and supplying ventilators and medical equipment parts to essential life-saving equipment. The parts manufacturers that supply vehicle spares for police, fire, ambulance.
Essential food packs that are being created in communities across the country must also be placed in ‘one time use’ cardboard boxes; another reason why we must keep going – safely, sensibly and with every precaution in place to protect our greatest asset; our staff.
Let’s not forget that it’s not just corrugated. It’s bottles for drugs, plastic bottles for chemicals, blister packs for essential medication – in fact anything that is vital, not a desirable, to keep us all as healthy and safe as possible.
Packaging industry rallies to protect vital supply chains
