DSV Steps in to Assist wtih PPE Visor Manufacture

With the help of DSV, a suite of 3D printers originally destined for Cardiff University’s PARC Institute have been repurposed and relocated to manufacture visors for NHS Wales in the fight against COVID-19.

The logistics firm offered to set up the machines at DSV’s ISO9001 healthcare facility in Milton Keynes. Drawing from the expertise of DSV’s Logistics Manufacturing Services (LMS) section, the team was able to set up manufacturing in a matter of weeks to produce the much-needed visors. The LMS team had acquired 3D printing expertise through a previous knowledge transfer project (KTP) with Cardiff Business School.

Martin Lancaster (above), General Manager for Health and Beauty in the UK, who also runs the DSV facility explains “I’m proud of the team here, we were able to react quickly, get the machines transferred from the University to our DSV site, set up the machines, train the team to operate the equipment, source material and start printing in a matter of days. Our team are already providing logistics services to the NHS during this difficult time, and this project allowed us to go a step further and support the NHS in a new and innovative way.”

The consortium expects to dispatch its first batch of visors to the NHS this week. Coordinated by Dr Daniel Eyers (Cardiff Business School), the team are currently working through the necessary steps for certification.

Professor Mike Wilson, Executive Vice President for Global Logistics Manufacturing Services at DSV and co-founder of PARC explains, “For us, this is just the first step. Now we have the RemakerSpace centre set up, we are looking at other products that we can manufacture to help the NHS in the fight against COVID-19. Not only that, in line with the objectives set out with the creation of the RemakerSpace centre, we want to continue to support the Welsh Government and NHS, with a focus on developing sustainable, multi-use products that help Wales lead the way in the transition to the new circular economies of the future.”