With the industry coming together to donate PPE and support hospital builds, there are also lesser-known ‘suppliers’ emerging, with individual stories of people doing amazing things to contribute to the cause.
Two members of staff have a mutual friend who is currently in self isolation and we would like to share with you how he has evolved a hobby into a concept that supports the NHS supply chain.
From a garden mancave in Southampton, Damien Long has been passing the self isolation time by investing in his digital 3D printing hobby. He can now print 3D visors for the NHS frontline staff, which have already being requested by local hospitals. After crunching the numbers on his output, he realised with more printers and more 3D printing material he could potentially manufacture 3,000 in 30 days. Quite something, and not accounted for in current NHS supply chain routes.
A crowdfunding effort online saw over £2,000 raised in under 24 hours, and with O’Neill & Brennan and Dodd Group purchasing additional 3D Printers for him to work with, his mancave has become the most unlikely manufacturing plant in the country.
We will keep you updated on how Damien progresses over the next month as I’m sure messages of encouragement would be well received when he has time to take a break.
Big thank you to John Kavanagh, Claire Bristow and Kira Lacey at Dodd Group and Dawn Jevon at Galliford Try for your help in arranging for the extra printer with no notice.
We hope in the future to donate one of the 3D printers to the Prince Albert High School in the Midlands. If pupils can be inspired by NHS visor manufacturing with this technology, there will be a small legacy left, which has originated from a garden in Southampton.
