GREENOCK Firm’s New Health Service PPE Production Line Creates 100 Jobs
A GREENOCK factory is recruiting 100 extra staff to work around the clock making personal protective equipment (PPE) for health staff.
Berry bpi has rapidly set up a production line at its Bogston site, adapting existing manufacturing facilities and investing in new equipment.
The 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a week operation will produce millions of disposable aprons for the NHS in Scotland as it deals with the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.
The new production operator shift jobs are on initial six-month contracts with a view to extension.
The company is urging people interested in applying for the posts to forward their CVs to the human resources department by email to K.McKeown@rpc-bpi.com.
Berry bpi, which is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of polythene film, equipped the factory for the work in just three weeks, sourcing and shipping specialist machines to the UK as part of “substantial investment.”
Three other Berry bpi factories — at Dunfries, Derbyshire and Gloucestershire — have been adapted to produce long-sleeve apron-style gowns.
Chief executive Andrew Green said: “We have deliberately taken a long-term approach. We were able to call on our extensive resources and experience, as well as the flexibility and commitment of our workforce, to produce the aprons within an extremely fast turnaround to help make up shortfalls in the current supply chain.
“At the same time, we intend to scale up production so that after the immediate needs of the coronavirus crisis, we can continue to offer a cost-effective local supply solution that will be able to meet as much as possible of UK demand.
“I am extremely grateful to colleagues both inside and outside our organisation who embraced this complicated project with such urgency and a can-do attitude.
“In particular, I am hugely impressed by the skills and agility of the Berry bpi teams in establishing an entirely new product and manufacturing process from scratch to the point of supply within two weeks. It is inspirational to see these products now out there and in use by the front-line medical staff who were so much in need of them.”
Scottish minister for trade, investment and innovation Ivan McKee said: “Our health and social care system is facing unprecedented demand and protecting staff working on the frontline is an absolute priority.
“This is yet another example of a business quickly diversifying their product line by adapting their manufacturing facilities and investing in new equipment to support the national response to Covid-19. I thank them for their efforts to help us deliver what is needed, when it is needed.
“In these incredibly challenging times the Scottish Government will continue to do all it can to make health and social care staff feel as safe as possible in their workplace.”
“Berry bpi has successfully and flexibly delivered against tight timelines to enable this, and this vital aprons pipeline has been secured through a supply chain established by a cross-government team including the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, NHS Scotland and the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland.”
