MIM member Rutland Plastics has joined forces with Oakham School to produce face shields for frontline workers. To date, they have produced thousands of face shields which have been distributed throughout the region to NHS and community care workers.
Rutland Plastics is a custom plastic injection moulder of bespoke products for a diverse customer base across a wide variety of industries. Throughout the company’s development, they have retained a steadfast dedication to building strong partnerships with both customers and suppliers, while consciously investing in areas such as their design department and tool room to add real value to those relationships.
Initially, the headbands were 3D printed by members of Oakham Schools Design Technology department. Rutland Plastics took the initiative to fully utilise their expertise as a manufacturer and developed, very quickly, a two-impression mould tool so that the company could injection mould the headband for the visors at a rate of 8,000 per day.
“Ramping up the production has required increased resource from everyone involved right across the community, it has been a huge collaborative effort and I am only too pleased we could donate to the cause and assist by leveraging the skills of our teams and facilities”, said Steve Ayre, Managing Director at Rutland Plastics.
There is a vast body of volunteers working daily on assembling the visors, as well as delivering them to those who have requested them – which includes hospitals in Peterborough, Leicester, Lincoln, and Kettering. Visors will also continue to be provided to staff at Rutland Memorial, Melton and Market Harborough hospitals along with numerous care homes and doctors’ surgeries across Rutland including further afield into Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and London.
Meantime, Rutland Plastics are fully operational supporting the supply chain; moulding both medical and non-medical parts for their customers who are involved in the supply of items and services vital to the fight against COVID 19.
Steve Ayre added, “The collaboration has been a really positive experience and not least a welcome boost to staff morale allowing us to focus our efforts on people outside of our usual channels and to make a contribution to the collective movement to aid the supply of PPE.”
Many organisations have made donations not least Biesterfeld Petroplas, as the company kindly made a 1-tonne contribution of material, and so with supply on a not for profit basis this capacity can be accessed, find out how contact Rutland Plastics today by heading to their microsite https://rutlandplastics.madeinthemidlands.com/.