Our industry's response to COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is one that will not soon be forgotten. It has and continues to impact us all in one way or another. The chemical industry decided not to sit back and jumped into action.

In public places such as hospitals, schools and offices – where the risk of infection being passed among each other is high – disinfectant hand wash and alcohol-based hand rub formulations proved an effective remedy. Multiple chemical companies either increased their supplies, shifted production lines to produce hand- and surface sanitisers, or formed partnerships to ensure a steady supply of essential ingredients down the value chain.

Other efficient tools produced by the industry include, among others, (3D-printed) face masks or shields, protective suits, gloves and test-kits. Those companies that could not provide tools as such didn’t throw in the towel. They went on to provide donations in the form of funding for research, food for those in need, laptops to enable teleworking and homeschooling, or fuel vouchers for emergency vehicle services.

The list of actions is long. To get a general idea of what the chemical industry has been doing, read more here