Walsall firm finds innovative way of mass-producing PPE cheaply for health workers
An innovative Black Country start-up company could soon be making millions of visors for frontline health workers.
Alex Margetts, 28, from Walsall, has found a cheap method of mass-producing plastic face shields through 3D printing.
It came after his his mother, a nurse, and father, a paramedic, complained they had a lack of personal protective equipment while on the front line against coronavirus.
Alex originally made a batch of 40 for his parents and their colleagues. But now he is in talks with the NHS and local councils to supply a lot more of the equipment.
His company will soon "push the button" on 32,000 orders, said Alex, while eventually he says they will be able mass produce "millions".
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Alex told the Express & Star: "The idea was a quest because my background is in product design. My parents were telling me they had no PPE.
"They were going to work with inadequate protection. They asked if I could help them.
"At first I made the visors just for them and their local teams. But then I was approached by the NHS asking me to supply them larger amounts."
He continued: "The problem with 3D printing is it takes about one hour to produce one.
"I made a design that allows for face shields to be mass produced from a single piece of plastic.
"We are about to push the button on 32,000 next week.
"What started as a little adventure to give my parents PPE has ended up in a situation where I can produce millions."
Alex's innovative design method means he can sell the face shield a lot cheaper than other manufacturers.
"We can sell our visors at a fraction of the cost compared to others.
"I have heard horror stories that people have been exploiting the likes of the NHS and even the private sector.
"People were charging £2, £3 for visors when we can make them for 50p to 60p."
Alex's design method means the whole of the face shield can be made using his blueprints, instead of having to source parts from different places.
However he is struggling to get the face shields to where it is needed, like on the front line.
Any distributors that can help are asked to email him at alex@alexanderjames.design.
