UK. Mondelēz International has partnered with engineering company 3P Innovation to produce medical visors for NHS workers.
Last week, 3P Innovation launched an industry-wide initiative to bring together businesses and individuals who can produce, assemble, and distribute the much-needed medical visors to hospitals across the UK.
Mondelēz International has repurposed the 3D printing technology in its Cadbury facility in Bourneville — normally used to create chocolate sculptures — to print the hard-plastic bands which connect the top and bottom of the medical visors.
“Coronavirus is impacting all our lives and that support is needed now more so than ever and our colleagues are going the extra mile to selflessly help others at what is an incredibly challenging time” — Mondelēz international UK Managing Director Louise Stigant
The confectionery company has also invested in buying injection mould technology to help 3P Innovation mass produce the visors. 3P Innovation has already delivered the first batch to an NHS clinic in Warwickshire, with plans to scale up its operations to 10,000 units per week.
“The NHS and other frontline services are doing an incredible job and we want to support them wherever we can,” said Mondelēz international UK Managing Director Louise Stigant. “I’m extremely proud that our research and food engineering teams have come up with a creative way to repurpose our chocolate making skills and technology, so we can make and print parts for the medical visors. By working in partnership with 3P and other businesses we can scale our operations and help protect those who are working so hard to protect us and beat coronavirus.”
3P Innovation Managing Director Tom Bailey said, “We have now set up the production line and the finished products are on their way to end users. Thanks to the generous support from Mondelēz, we have purchased an injection moulding tool which is set to make a huge difference to the volumes we can produce. We are now looking for ongoing funding, which is essential to make sure we can continue to purchase components and run the production lines.”
3P Innovation is still looking for 3D print technology businesses and logistics services to support its cause, so that it can continue to supply medical visors to NHS workers and other frontline services.
Mondelēz International is also donating over £2 million to support local communities, charities, foodbanks, and NHS front liners through The Cadbury Foundation. The foundation is donating to Age UK’s Emergency Coronavirus Appeal, which provides information and advice to people over 70 years old, who are in the highest-risk group for COVID-19.
It is also working with local and national charities to distribute two million products across the country through Fareshare, Community Shop, and frontline NHS and Trussell Trust foodbanks. It is also donating funds to the National Emergencies Trust and GroceryAid to support people working in the food industry.
Stigant added, “We have a rich history of supporting people, communities, and businesses through the Cadbury Foundation and our network of national and local charity partners. Coronavirus is impacting all our lives and that support is needed now more so than ever and our colleagues are going the extra mile to selflessly help others at what is an incredibly challenging time.”
Age UK Fundraising Director Laure Bolt thanked the company for its donation by saying, “Thank you so much to Mondelēz for their thoughtful support during this exceptionally challenging time. This is a period of great anxiety for everyone, but especially for older people and their loved ones. Age UK is determined to be there for older people who need our help and especially for those who have no one else to turn to in this time of crisis. Thank you for making sure we can respond to the growing needs and unprecedented demand we’re seeing.”
