British manufacturing this month faces perhaps the greatest test in its history. Specialist firms have joined forces with industrial powerhouses such as Airbus and Rolls-Royce in an unprecedented collaborative effort to make medical ventilators to treat Covid-19 patients.

Proud to be a key sector in this time of panic, Board24 will be manufacturing the corrugated packaging that the ventilators will be packaged in to get to their final destination.

The group of British manufacturers will begin producing medical ventilators for the NHS this month, after the government ordered in excess of 10,000 of the devices to treat coronavirus patients, under what is being called, Ventilator Challenge UK.

Recently Board24 contributed to this by delivering a significant amount of sheet board in 4 sizes to a customer within a very short lead time to effectively package for the ventilators.

Ventilator Challenge UK, led by Dick Elsy, is a consortium of over 20 companies including Siemens and Rolls-Royce and the consortium is now working at full speed to take the necessary steps in order to increase production of this design.

Dick Elsy, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult’s chief executive, said “This consortium brings together some of the most innovative companies in the world. Every day, their highly-skilled staff collaborate to create solutions that help millions of people, and this project is no different. They are working together with incredible determination and energy to scale up production of much-needed ventilators and combat a virus that is affecting people in many countries. I am confident this consortium has the skills and tools to make a difference and save lives.”

The government has 8,175 ventilators but has turned to British industry to help produce and deliver 30,000 in a matter of weeks to hospitals, to combat an expected surge in new cases and Board24 are proud to be apart of the team that will make this happen.

Managing Director, Richard McBride tells us “Board24 pride itself in quick turnaround solutions. Our customer contacted me on Sunday 5th April with an urgent request to supply corrugated sheet first thing on Tuesday 7^th April so they could fulfil immediate orders. Thanks to all our committed staff, working as key employees, we have “made this possible” and met our customers deadlines which will enable the urgent delivery of ventilators to the NHS.

We are extremely proud that Board24 and its employees are able to contribute to keeping the critical supply chains running.”

Sales Director Katie Whitehead from Red Rose Packaging tells us “Board24’s support has always been fantastic and we knew we could rely on them.  The timescales were extremely tight, the packs were being tested over the weekend and were approved Monday morning.   The Board24 delivery arrived first load Tuesday morning and we manufactured and assembled the packs ready for collection that evening. Everyone involved has been fantastic, we couldn’t have done it without the support of all our suppliers”.