Packqueen rolls out thousands of face shields for frontline health workers
Health workers, schools and police officers across the country are crying out for face shields as hospitals drain supplies. So this Thomastown packaging company has pivoted to offer a smart solution.
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A Thomastown company which typically manufactures packaging for postage, gifts and food has been rolling out vital units of plastic face shields for frontline workers instead.
Packqueen has distributed thousands of the protective gear made from recyclable plastic in the past four weeks.
Owner Monique Samara said the Horne St factory had been inundated with requests from allied health workers across the country such as physios, optometrists, dentists, doctors, nursing homes, paramedics and pharmacies.
“What we found is that while the hospitals were absolutely essential to have these types of shields other essential workers were not having the same level of access,” she said.
“For example, people working in aged care or pharmacies were struggling to get good supplies for their workers.”
Ms Samara said her company had even received requests from the transport industry, schools and the Western Australia police force.
“Packqueen is in a unique position in that we were already using the materials required to create a 100 per cent Australian-made face shield,” she said.
The safety gear increased protection from exposure to airborne and other potentially infected fluids.
They were also made from clear Australian-made polypropylene plastic for unobstructed vision.
Ms Samara said the switch in manufacturing had helped keep jobs within Australia.
“We have also added two members to our team to help with this project — however, this is bigger than us,” she said.
“We are using our network of suppliers to help with the materials — our network also manufacture and assist with the production of the raw materials and has enabled them to keep jobs within Australia.”
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