EV Cargo’s Palletforce member Owens Group has been involved in a mammoth effort to distribute personal protective equipment (PPE) to NHS stores across Wales and other areas of the UK, ensuring frontline NHS staff have adequate stocks available and are fully protected at all times.
The South Wales network member has also distributed hospital beds to emergency field hospitals across West Wales, ensuring both temporary Nightingale and permanent hospitals are equipped to deal with COVID-19 cases.
The award-winning family business has been tasked with distributing multiple truck-loads of essential pieces of PPE to NHS Wales and also to NHS departments in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Owens Group trucks met flights, specially-chartered by the Welsh Government, carrying critical PPE from Asia to Cardiff. The freight was unloaded with staff from Owens collaborating on the ground with NHS Wales, Cardiff Wales Airport, South Wales Police, Swissport handling and Military Aid.
Further truck-loads of PPE were collected from Heathrow with Owens undertaking the onward distribution to the NHS.
Huw Owen, Owens Group managing director, said: “This has been one of the most important challenges in the history of our company and we are all honoured to be playing such an important role in supporting NHS Wales and other NHS departments across the UK. It was a project where our robust family values and focus on service delivery meant everyone rose to the challenge.”
Michael Conroy, Palletforce chief executive, said: “We are privileged and proud to have a community spirited and inspirational company like Owens Group as a key Palletforce member. Everyone in the business has come together to deliver this critical project and gone the extra mile to ensure essential PPE is reaching frontline staff and the emergency Nightingale hospitals in their region are properly equipped.
“Palletforce members have been instrumental in delivering supplies to critical NHS projects across the UK and it has been heart-warming to see the huge efforts that our members are going to.”
