Case Study: The West Midlands PPE collective

What is the West Midlands PPE Collective?

The first wave of the pandemic resulted in critical Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) shortage across the West Midlands and throughout the UK. To respond to the region’s life-threatening shortage of PPE, Andy Street, Mayor of the WM requested local businesses to present themselves if they could produce the
much-needed PPE to the health and care sectors. Following this call, Birmingham Hospitals Alliance sought HIWM’s assistance in sourcing local companies to form the West Midlands PPE Collective.

What were the aims?

Utilise the world-class manufacturers in the West Midlands to produce and distribute certified PPE products to the NHS

Find local companies to help manufacture two types of PPE

What did we do?

We forged a vital role in helping the NHS meet the challenge of manufacturing essential PPE after a nationwide shortage during the first wave of the pandemic.

Working with Birmingham Hospitals Alliance (BHA) we assisted the NHS supply chain in urgently finding local companies to mass produce critically-needed surgical gowns.

What were the outcomes?

• Over 200 jobs created
• Generated over £4M additional turnover
• Further benefits to the UK and local economies through spill over effects into the local supply chain and communities
• From the success of collaborative working within the regional healthcare sector, other areas of work have been explored, to combine industry knowledge, skills, and expertise to economically manufacture high volume PPE products for the UK and overseas markets