A number of Australian businesses have joined the fight against COVID-19 by commencing local production of hand sanitiser.
Australian hand sanitiser producers have recently ramped up production in an effort to keep up with unprecedented demand as a result of the global coronavirus outbreak.
Australia’s largest manufacturer of rigid plastics Pact Group announced its production of hand sanitiser is expected to be in full swing by mid-April, when the group expects to be making about 2 million units of hand sanitiser per month.
The sanitiser will be packaged in 500ml, 1-litre, and 2-litre bottles, as well as in 50ml tubes, with all packaging will be manufactured by Pact Group. Production will take place at one of its Sydney facilities and filling will take place at three other factories in Sydney. Three of the four sites will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, while one will operate 24 hours a day, six days a week.
To achieve the production goal Pact will increase hours for permanent staff and casual workers. Approximately 95 per cent of the new product is expected to be sold in Australia.
Unilever, the consumer goods manufacturer of brands including Dove, Rexona, Lifebuoy, TRESemme, OMO, Surf, Streets and Continental, is also is increasing production further by adapting its current manufacturing lines to produce sanitiser for use in hospitals, schools and other institutional settings.
Clive Stiff, CEO Unilever Australia and New Zealand, said: “Australia and New Zealand are nations that have overcome a lot over the past year. What we have learnt during this challenging period is that it is imperative we work together as a community. Our factories are operating 24/7 to try keep shelves stocked with essential food, personal care and cleaning products.
“We are also working around the clock with our partners, customers, industry groups and government to identify ways our business can contribute to national efforts in tackling the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. We will fight this together.”
Distilleries shift production focus
Local distilleries have also shifted their production focus to produce hand sanitiser to not only assist consumers, but to also support the redeployment of their staff.
Hospitality Magazine reports Manly Spirits Co and Archie Rose in Sydney and Adelaide’s Prohibition Liquor Co have released hand sanitiser products into the market, which are now available to purchase.
Prohibition produced 200 100ml bottles of juniper-scented hand sanitiser that will be given away with 500/700ml sales of gin until there’s none left.
Manly Spirits Co is churning out 5L containers for community groups and created a 50ml sanitiser with gin aroma that customers will receive for free with every purchase.
Archie Rose has also released 4500 500ml bottles of hand sanitiser yesterday, with the product selling out almost immediately.
“We’re in a unique position to manufacture this essential product – with the required federal licences, dangerous goods approvals, access to raw materials and expertise – so we’re now making hand sanitiser our production focus,” said founder, Will Edwards.
“We will continue to produce sanitiser for as long as we can, or as long as is required and this will also support the redeployment of as many of our full-time bar staff as possible to assist in filling, packaging and shipping the product.”
The distillery have used a product formulation based on the World Health Organisation’s guidelines while utilising ingredients including grapefruit, cassia, cardamom and thyme botanical distillates from the brand’s gin production.
Breweries take action
Two Western Australia-based breweries SPINIFEX Brewing Co and Limestone Coast Brewing have also joined forces to produce World Health Organisation grade sanitiser using about 80 per cent ethanol.
“As the COVID-19 virus continues to wreak havoc on the world and in response to limited vital medical supplies, increasing shortages and disruptions to supply chains, SPINIFEX Brewing Co and Limestone Coast Brewing are stepping up to the plate and immediately moving to the production of High Alcohol Content Hand Sanitiser for supply to Western Australia,” the companies stated on their websites.
Meanwhile, Beenleigh Rum Distillery – Australia’s oldest distillery – and Bundaberg Rum Distillery will commence production this week of ethanol for hand sanitiser immediately, using existing production lines and staff.
Angelo Kotses, managing director of the Bickfords Group of Companies and owner of the Beenleigh Distillery, said the idea to transition to hand sanitiser came from the need to keep their own workers safe.
“Ethanol is the key ingredient of hand sanitiser, and we already produce ethanol for our alcohol products,” Kotses said.
“We originally planned a small run of only 1500 cartons, but when the Queensland Government approached us we were more than happy to help by providing hand sanitiser for essential needs throughout the state.”
David Smith, managing director of Bundaberg Rum’s parent company Diageo Australia, said the company had a duty to support the community in this unprecedented time of need through its donation of ethanol.
“Bundaberg Rum is a Queensland icon, we’ve felt the love of Australians since our distillery was first established more than 130 years ago in 1888,” Smith said.
“At a time like this we will always step up and contribute when Australians need it most.”
Time for businesses to “think laterally and broadly”
Queensland Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said the department is working to identify more manufacturers around the state who can quickly transition to the production of hand sanitiser.
“Bundaberg Rum is also going full steam ahead with the production of ethanol and will donate 100,000 litres – enough to produce around 500,000 bottles – to the Queensland Government.
“We want to see more of this and are ready and eager to work with and support manufacturers who can help us get more products into our hospitals, our schools and our supermarkets and stores.
“This is the time to think laterally and broadly about how you and your business can adapt and contribute to our state’s COVID-19 coronavirus response.”
The minister said government will continue to reach out to manufacturers, suppliers and producers to identify any issues in the supply chain and help investigate ways to keep businesses open by retooling.
“We are talking to manufacturers from right across Queensland who are willing and able to transition their production into essential health care supplies and other necessities,” he said.
More than 1700 cases of the virus have been confirmed across the country, as Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and the Northern Territory close their borders to domestic travellers.
Of the 1709 confirmed cases in Australia, seven have died from COVID-19. More than 143,000 tests have been conducted across Australia.
Across the world there have been more than 300,700 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 13,900 deaths.
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