SKYRORA SHIFTS PRODUCTION TO HAND SANITISER AND FACE VISORS FOR CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE
Skyrora is answering the call of the UK government and the NHS to manufacturers to do what they can to provide much-needed healthcare equipment for frontline responders amid the coronavirus crisis.
The entirety of Skyrora’s UK operations including all human resources and its working capital are now dedicated to Covid-19 response. Skyrora will be focusing fully on the manufacture of hand sanitiser and face visors, having produced their initial batch of hand sanitiser following WHO guidelines and requirement.
Skyrora teamed with the National Physical Laboratory and Makerspace Paisley to 3D print face visors as a collaborative effort yielded much faster and higher volume of supplies. Together, 50 face visors per week were initially produced, all 3D printed on Skyrora’s printers. With the support of the National Physical Laboratory, lending Skyrora two further printers, the team can now 3D print 70 – 100 face visors per week.
Without the help of Makerspace Paisley, visor production would have been possible. Makerspace Paisley kindly lent their laser cutting facilities to Skyrora. The laser cutter uses a high-powered carbon dioxide laser to etch the safety marking and logos onto the 100% recyclable plastic visors, before cutting them out for production-quality precision.
“We must answer to the government and NHS for support and Skyrora is in a fortunate enough position to do so. We are confident that we will get through this stronger”, said CEO Volodymyr Levykin.
“It is at a time like this, that a business like ours should step up and carry out a civic duty, setting aside the normal commercial activity and standing side-by-side with the Scottish government, the NHS and the UK government for the greater good of our country”.
Owen Thompson (SNP) said: “In an emergency like this it’s important we use our collective skills to support and protect those working on the frontline. Midlothian-based space technology company Skyrora have also been proving they are not all about rocket science. They have used their oxidiser to produce hand sanitiser, with batches tested and ready to distribute wherever needed.
“While it is always important that safety regulations are met, we have to make sure we can reduce the obstacles to get the equipment approved as quickly as possible and out to those who desperately need it on the frontline”.
Skyrora have also received recognition from other members of the Scottish government. The Deputy Presiding Officer, Christine Graham said that Parliament welcomes the efforts Skyrora to tackle the Covid-19 outbreak by reallocating its staff to manufacture various forms of personal protective equipment.
