Plastics firm recruits more staff to meet demand for services

AST Plastic Containers has boosted production and staffing levels to meet demand from clients during the current coronavirus pandemic.

The manufacturer of plastic containers has increased production by 20% and staffing levels by 25% to help clients in the cleaning and sanitising sectors who are seeking more products as their work levels increase due to the health crisis.

AST has seen a surge in demand for its five and 10 litre plastic containers and is manufacturing 100,000 more a month.

This has led to an increase in staffing numbers on the shop floor from 16 to 20 at the North Wales business.

The plastic containers are being used by UK-based companies to transport their cleaning and sanitising products to critical services such as the NHS.

The production line works 24/7 from its UK base on Wrexham Industrial Estate, while following the Government guidelines of social distancing.

Managing director, Matthias Hochholzer, said: “We are pleased with the small part we can play in delivering essential fluids like hand sanitiser, cleaning liquids and detergents to those that need it the most at this challenging time.

“Day-to-day, most people don’t think about the supply chain that’s involved in delivering a product to an end point, but I think the current pandemic is highlighting various roles that previously were more behind the scenes, such as manufacturers and transportation.”

The company makes plastic containers and caps for a range of sectors including the food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

It manufacturers from six sites across Europe and distributes more than 100 million units a year to customers in more than 15 countries.