Wollongong manufacturers are being urged to register with a new portal if they can help supply hand sanitiser, handwash soap, gloves, cleaning products, protective clothing, masks, eyewear and paper products to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Member for Wollongong, Paul Scully, made the call after the new portal was launched this morning at https://preview.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/call-for-local-manufacturing-of-medical-supplies

“Wollongong is a manufacturing heartland and there is a wealth of innovation in this region with a skilled workforce, a world-renowned university, and local companies can help in the defeat of this virus pandemic.

“There is a worldwide supply shortage of crucial medical and personal protection equipment (PPE) our frontline medical professionals need now and will continue to need over the next 12 months.

“Supply chains are under enormous pressure around the world and if we can bring back some of this manufacturing capability for health and PPE supplies locally, it will make an enormous difference to fighting off this virus and keeping our doctors, nurses and other hospital staff safe to care for all of us.

“I’m urging our local manufacturers to think about how they can rejig production lines, retool their facilities, and keep their employees in jobs.

“I’m urging our manufacturers to also think about partnering up with others in the region so we can make a contribution to helping save lives and care for our community during this health crisis”, he said.

Mr Scully said he had already been contacted by local companies looking to register on the new portal and encouraged others to do likewise as soon as possible.