Safety gear

PPE demand causes indusTry SHAKE-up

CARYN GOOTKIN discovers how a rise in demand for personal protective equipment questioned South Africa’s capacity to produce these essential items

South Africa has wide manufacturing capabilities, however, these vary substantially between products based on complexity and access to technology, equipment and skills. “Some items like face masks for public use are relatively easy to produce, while others such as gloves require more specialised equipment and materials,” says Shakeel Meer, divisional executive for manufacturing at the Industrial Development Corporation. “When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, some companies facing temporary shutdown switched to producing essential and personal protective equipment (PPE) products,” says Meer. “Automotive manufacturers started producing face shields and other companies redirected products to new uses, for example, potable-alcohol producers supplying alcohol for sanitisers.”

Switching an entire factory to producing new products is a complex process. “Local businesses quickly had to identify and source the required materials, design the products, retrain their staff and build expertise,” says Meer. “They also had to meet quality and safety standards.”

Because different standards apply to different products, prospective manufacturers need to do careful research. “Items classifi ed as medical devices require licensing by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority,” says Meer. “Bodies like the National South African Health Products Regulatory Authority,” says Meer. “Bodies like the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifi cations also set standards for PPE and there may be Regulator for Compulsory Specifi cations also set standards for PPE and there may be guidelines set by government departments or specifi c buyers.” guidelines set by government departments or specifi c buyers.”

KEEPING PRICES DOWN

At fi rst, insuffi cient local capacity to supply PPE was exacerbated by global shortages that made imports diffi cult. Some companies took global shortages that made imports diffi cult. Some companies took advantage and charged a premium. “Keeping prices down requires advantage and charged a premium. “Keeping prices down requires suffi cient supply to meet demand together with competition in the suffi cient supply to meet demand together with competition in the market,” says Meer. “Economies of scale may be important: some market,” says Meer. “Economies of scale may be important: some products can only be produced competitively if they are manufactured products can only be produced competitively if they are manufactured in suffi cient volumes. We learned that countries and manufacturers in suffi cient volumes. We learned that countries and manufacturers tend to give preference to supplying their local needs fi rst. Local tend to give preference to supplying their local needs fi rst. Local manufacturing capacity can, therefore, be important not manufacturing capacity can, therefore, be important not only in keeping prices down, but also ensuring that critical only in keeping prices down, but also ensuring that critical Shakeel PPE is available at all.” PPE is available at all.”

Meer

COVID-19 GLOBAL PPE MARKET

In March, World Health Organization modelling predicted that 89 million medical masks, 76 million gloves and 1.6 million pairs of goggles would be required worldwide to  ght the pandemic. However, UNICEF now estimates that by the end of 2020, it alone will have supplied 2.2 billion medical masks, 1.1 billion gloves, 13 million goggles and 8.8 million face shields.

These boots were made for walking

BOVA

“BOVA, the leading safety footwear brand, provides 550 direct and hundreds of indirect jobs,” says senior brand manager Vanessa

Vanessa Ronald. “Most components Ronald are sourced locally, but sometimes local capabilities or technologies are not available or commercially viable, like safety toecaps.”

To compete with imports, BOVA creates boots that protect wearers against speci c hazards. “We focus on the right protection at the right price – safety is our top priority,” says Ronald. “In 2019, we launched our dual compound rubber range, making us the only company in Africa that can produce this highly technical boot.

“The opening of the market to imports at the beginning of the ‘90s decimated our local market, leaving thousands unemployed,” says Ronald. “We have a responsibility not to lose even more jobs; government has worked hard to assure a future for the local manufacturing industry.”

WAYNE

BBF Safety, producers of Wayne gumboots, also promotes supporting local. “Around 65 per cent of all raw materials Deane for our gumboots, are sourced Nothard locally,” says marketing manager Deane Nothard. “Recycling is important to us: we recycle around 200 tonnes of PVC monthly, sourced from small businesses that collect recyclable material and from big mining companies that supply old products, including gumboots.”

The gumboot market is dominated by local manufacturers. “Gumboots are bulky and heavy, making transport and duty costs too high for imports to compete, especially with the consistent quality of local manufacture,” says Nothard. “To compete, we constantly innovate and invest in facilities, products and people.”

The typical safety standard for footwear is ISO 20345. More technical footwear must also comply with additional standards. “Due to our strong export presence, we also adhere to CE (Europe), Australian and New Zealand standards and accreditations,” says Nothard.