Coronavirus update: the latest news from West Midlands businesses

Engineers at the Coventry-based Manufacturing Technology Centre have developed a protective shield for front line NHS staff involved in the intubation procedure for COVID-19 patients needing to be linked up to ventilators.

The shields, developed in collaboration with medical experts and industrial partners Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin and Multimatic, with wider support from Innovate UK, have been developed from prototype to manufacture in less than a week.

The MTC and associated partners are in the process of manufacturing the first batch of 1,000 units and is also working with the manufacturing supply chain to ramp up immediate capacity to at least 200 units a day to meet expected NHS demand.

MTC chief executive Dr Clive Hickman said: “The acrylic shields with access panels for medical staff are manufactured as complete units or can be produced as flat-pack self-assembly kits. The shield has undergone several design changes during its rapid development following trials in three hospitals and extended trials at a further seven hospitals. Feedback from medical professionals suggests that the shields can be used during the intubation and extubation processes, and may also be useful for other medical procedures beyond COVID-19 treatment.

“It is anticipated that the NHS may need several thousand of these shields and we are delighted to be playing our part in protecting frontline NHS staff during this challenging time,” he added.

Neil Mantle, Rolls-Royce director, manufacturing technology, added: “The team has been working at full speed, motivated by the demand from anaesthetists and hospitals across the UK. We have transformed an important idea into manufacture in such a short space of time and I would like to thank all my colleagues.”

Aston Martin Lagonda president and group chief executive Andy Palmer said: “Times of crisis are also times of great innovation and we are delighted to be working with Multimatic and the MTC to produce the intubation shield for the intensive care staff.”

A programme funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to give people the skills they need to start a new career in construction has moved online for the first time, to continue training during the Covid-19 shutdown.

The WMCA has worked with Birmingham-based training provider RMF Construction Training Academy to create a range of new courses in virtual classes by tutors in an innovative pilot scheme for the Construction Gateway programme.

The Construction Gateway offers unemployed people a free, hands-on introduction to construction skills – providing them the ‘tickets’ and qualifications they need to be site-ready for work – and, crucially, guarantees them a job interview on completion of the course.

The online classes, which started last week, enable candidates from across the West Midlands to access construction training, including an industry-specific Level 1 in health and safety, as well as plant machinery training on dumper trucks, ride-on rollers and excavators – all from their own homes.

The courses will include drone-captured video demonstrations and a mixture of group and one-to-one sessions. Each candidate will also benefit from one-to-one support for any additional help they may need.

The learners will be able to gain qualifications which are essential to work on any site, such as the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card, and more in-depth courses including City and Guilds accredited Level 2 NVQ in rail engineering track maintenance.

Groups of up to 12 will be able to take part in the courses, which will vary in length from three days to ten weeks depending on the course and each learner’s previous experience, with more than 50 people already signed up.

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “We know this is a very difficult time for the region, but when we emerge from lockdown, we will still have skills shortages in key sectors, including construction.

“And there are job vacancies now in the infrastructure sector, which means some people who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19 have an opportunity for a new start in construction.
“It’s brilliant news that we’ve been able to set up online training, in a sector where this might not seem possible, through this new scheme that we’ve developed in partnership with RMF Construction Training Academy.”

Locked In With…. Johnathan Dudley, Crowe

Johnathan Dudley is national head of manufacturing at national audit, tax, advisory and risk firm Crowe, and regional managing partner of the Midlands and South West offices

Who are you locked in with?
My wife, my youngest son who’s been furloughed, and his fiancée who is one of our NHS heroes! Our dog Bertie has never been walked so much in his life, but is desperate for a haircut as he was due to go on the day after lockdown.

How has the lockdown and working from home been for you so far?
Like any change in situation, it is strange at first but I’m getting into the routine now. I am able to attend lots of meetings and discussions that I otherwise wouldn’t have done due to travelling time. Video meetings are a revelation. I’ve always been an early adopter, where others haven’t ,and I think this lockdown will change things.

What has been the best thing about staying in?
I’ve picked up my guitars again. They are there saying “play me” every night when I finish work – that and being able to wear Led Zeppelin t-shirts to work.

And what have you missed the most?
I’d say the people, but we use video calls as much as possible at Crowe, so we get around that. As for family, video on social media is essential.
We also have family spread across the country as well as locally, but now it’s all the same of course! The grandchildren find it hard though as they are slightly too young to fully understand. I miss Cornwall. I should be launching my little boat this weekend, instead, El Contador is still tucked up in the boatyard waiting.
I also miss the A380 flying over the house twice daily. Fabulous piece of European engineering. They stopped abruptly in the middle of last week.

What previously essential thing have you realised it not actually essential?
Paper! It’s driving me to be more and more digital, and why not?

What are the changes you have made that you plan on continuing when restrictions are lifted?
I will definitely build aspects of the “new ways of working” into my every day after the restrictions are lifted. Having more time to have conversations with colleagues and clients has enabled me to build even stronger relationships with those I work with and even hold successful brainstorming sessions. I think the lockdown has reminded us all of the importance of taking time to converse and think creatively. Video calls is something I will continue as they have enabled me to speak face-to-face with colleagues across the firm who I wouldn’t usually get to see due to being located in different offices.
As briefly mentioned above, I have also automatically become more environmentally conscious – travelling in my car far less and not relying on physical paperwork. This is something I will continue to be mindful of long after the restrictions have been lifted.

Have you made any progress on any of your bucket list items?
Not really. Most things on my bucket list involve travel and outdoor activities.

What is the first thing you will do when isolation ends?
I would drive down to Cornwall and enjoy a pint of Tribute, then see my grandchildren… not necessarily in that order.