Scottish cycling kit manufacturer and supplier of cycling clothing to the emergency services, Endura, has been using its expertise in rapid garment development and advanced production techniques to support the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Livingston-based company has been working in collaboration with Keela, Redwood TTM and Transcal to provide significant volumes of PPE to NHS Scotland. Using specialist fabrics produced by Don & Low, the project will provide more than half of the non-sterile gowns needed for health and care workers in Scotland. Working with NHS Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service, the project developed a design specification for a PPE gown that improved the manufacturability to facilitate a rate of production that met NHS Scotland’s requirements. Base materials and finished gowns have been subjected to rigorous testing to ensure they comply with the relevant material and performance standards.
In addition, Endura has also been working with NHS England to design and develop re-usable gowns using a waterproof, breathable fabric membrane donated by their sister brand, Berghaus. Samples are with NHS England for certification and will hopefully be able to go into production soon.
Using its existing stocks, Endura donated all of its available stock of suitable eyewear to surgeries and health centres, and through its supply chain the company has sourced quantities of facemasks and PPE eyewear that will be sent to care homes and childcare hubs that are in urgent need.
With the help of Pentland Brands, Endura has also been able to connect NHS Scotland with reliable, known mask manufacturers who can provide surgical masks (Type IIR, Type II), certified respirator masks (FFP2, FFP3) and protective eyewear (EN166). Manufacturing activities are being carried out on a transparent open book not-for-profit basis, while eyewear and mask are being donated free of charge.
Endura’s founder and Managing Director Jim McFarlane says, “As a result of this work, our headcount is increasing again and so we continue to adapt the way we work to ensure the safety of staff. We’ve enabled appropriate social distancing, split shifts with no overlap and introduced sanitary cleaning between shifts. The Pentland Brand family of companies has a pandemic response team who provide us with updates on best practice as it becomes available. These continue to be challenging times and so we want to thank you, our customers, for your ongoing support and the amazing Endura team for the efforts they’re putting in.”
