A PLASTICS company in Wendouree has found itself on the frontline in the battle against the spread of COVID-19.<\/p>\n
From a small Wendouree factory, owner Justin Kent and the two employees at Ballarat Engineering Plastics have been working overtime to fill orders for equipment like sneeze guards and protective screens.<\/p>\n
The devices will be rolled out at critical retail and healthcare providers across the region including UFS and Ballarat Health Service.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe increase in orders has been 300 to 400 per cent more,\u201d Mr Kent said. \u201cJust by the volume of these sneeze guards and screens.\u201d<\/p>\n
For nearly 20 years Ballarat Engineering Plastics has taken large sheets of polyethylene, nylon, acrylic, Perspex and polycarbonate and crafted them into products.<\/p>\n
Normally they make machine guards, display cases or windows, and they have always had the capacity to make sneeze guards, however demand for the latter device is now surging.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve manly done food and beverage and manufacturing, but certainly health when the need calls for it, and the need is now,\u201d Mr Kent said.<\/p>\n
While the factory hasn\u2019t had to retool yet, that\u2019s something that could happen in the future.<\/p>\n
His team are currently working with Ballarat Health Service on producing personal protective equipment as well as other initiatives in the region aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 or helping in the treatment of people affected by the disease.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been working with BHS on a couple of full-face shield prototypes,\u201d Mr Kent said. \u201cThere may be scope for them depending on how the rollout and demand from overseas goes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re also working with Gekko Systems and Sandy Gray on a breathing apparatus that he\u2019s designing and that\u2019s quite exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Like almost every industry, Mr Kent is seeing supply chain issues around getting some of the raw materials used in the production process, yet he also sees a silver lining for local manufacturing out of the current COVID-19 challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough necessity the promising thing is looks like Australia, and Ballarat\u2019s very good at this, but we\u2019re going to have to go back to making stuff ourselves,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough not being able to get anything in and demand, we\u2019re going to be forced to make stuff again in Australia. That\u2019s exciting in itself and an opportunity for employment.\u201d<\/p>\n
When it comes to the work the team at Ballarat Engineering Plastics are currently undertaking, Mr Kent said it was unexpected but rewarding.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wouldn\u2019t have though it six months ago,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of the time our products are for manufacturing or food and beverage and you\u2019re helping farmers grow food, or helping Mars or McCain, but to be assisting directly with helping people stay safe and hopefully, to draw a longbow, saving lives, it\u2019s certainly a good feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A PLASTICS company in Wendouree has found itself on the frontline in the battle against the spread of COVID-19. From a small Wendouree factory, owner Justin Kent and the two employees at Ballarat Engineering Plastics have been working overtime to fill orders for equipment like sneeze guards and protective screens. The devices will be rolled […]<\/p>\n