BAE Systems across Lancashire ramp up PPE production

Employees from BAE Systems sites across Lancashire are continuing to ramp up efforts to donate vital Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the NHS, with the aim of delivering more than 145,000 face shields to the frontline in the coming weeks.

All BAE Systems industrial-scale 3D printers, including at its site in Samlesbury, Lancashire, are now producing face shields, with supplies being delivered every day, directly to frontline medical staff around the UK. Their smaller scale 3D printers are also coming online to support the PPE effort, producing face shields at a smaller volume as well as innovative ‘door claws’ that help care homes reduce the spread of infection through door handles.

To rapidly increase the numbers arriving on the frontline, BAE Systems is sourcing tens of thousands of additional face shields through their own suppliers. Together with printed 3D printed face shields, they have delivered more than 24,000 units to date, with another 40,000 due to arrive in the next week to local communities in Bristol, Glasgow, London, Kent, Manchester, Portsmouth, Preston and Southampton.

Richard Hamilton, Manufacturing and Support Director at BAE Systems, comments: “We’ve had an amazing response to our recent announcement that we’re donating PPE to the NHS. This has been a real team effort at a difficult time for everyone. Employees across our Air, Maritime and Electronic Systems sectors, as well as our suppliers, are all rallying to play their part in the national endeavour as we work together to ramp up and further increase the supply of vital protective equipment to the frontline.

“As a result of everyone’s collective efforts, we’ve been able to respond to requests to send equipment directly to medical staff in our local communities working in GP surgeries, the ambulance service and hospices, as well sending supplies to NHS hospitals and trusts.”

In Lancashire, PPE donations to date include:

• 5,000 – Royal Preston Hospital, Preston
• 5,000 – Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Blackpool
• 1,000 – Worden Medical Centre, Leyland
• 500 – Lancashire Comunity Rapid Assessment Team, Leyland
• 200 – North West Ambulance Service, Preston
• 200 – Marie Curie Cancer Care, Hoghton
• 100 – Holland House Surgery, Lytham
• 100 – Ansdell Medical Centre, Lytham

In addition to their PPE efforts, BAE Systems is a proud member of VentilatorChallengeUK, a consortium of companies rapidly producing ventilators in the fight against Covid-19. Their role includes using Typhoon simulation training expertise to develop training materials for people completing factory acceptance testing of each ventilator before it is handed to the NHS. A number of other projects are underway as employees across the business continue to look at ways to help the country at this difficult time.