A furniture manufacturer has fast-tracked the delivery of a new £150,000 machine to help improve efficiency – after turning its efforts towards the national fight against Covid-19.
Stoke-based LiDR Contract Furniture manufactures for a variety of customers including schools, offices and projects all across the 海角视频, including the Hilton Garden Inn in Hanley as well as several local schools.
Since the outset of the coronavirus crisis, the 30-strong business has turned its machines over to manufacturing parts and components for the NHS supply chains, including the Nightingale hospitals built to cope with the increasing number of patients.
LiDR’s Campbell Road factory has been making tops for medical trollies which are used next to critical care beds. Already, almost 5,000 parts and panels have been manufactured since the outbreak – with more orders anticipated.
To help with its efforts, directors decided to bring forward the delivery date of a brand new 5 axis CNC machine, which was ordered last year as part of the ongoing investment and upgrade of the manufacturing plant.
They took delivery of the machine earlier this month, and it is already in operation to help make parts more quickly and efficiently.
Company director Eleanor Owen said: “We were expecting the machine to be delivered later this year, but made the decision to bring it forward to help with the coronavirus crisis and enabling us to make items much quicker than before.
“It has been an extremely challenging period in society. We are delighted to be able to utilise our resources to help with the crisis response, and are very proud of our staff for persevering in such unusual and unprecedented circumstances.
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“We have to try to look past this current crisis to the future, which is why we have gone ahead with the new machine. Once this difficult time has passed, we will be ready with an improved facility that can continue to manufacture the highest quality products for customers and projects all over the 海角视频.”
To keep its employees safe, the company has enforced Public Health England guidelines such as extra handwashing stations and social distancing, while office staff who are able to do so are working from home.
Business secretary Alok Sharma has praised the work those working in manufacturing and industry are carrying out to help keep the economy going.
He said: “Our country needs your support to keep supply chains moving and key workers mobile, as well as to protect the economy as much as possible.
“Every business has a role to play in helping the country defeat coronavirus. Manufacturing is a critical part of our economy and I would like to be clear that there is no restriction on manufacturing continuing under the current rules.”