Meet the Yorkshire manufacturing firm providing front-line equipment to the new Nightingale hospitals

A Yorkshire company is using its manufacturing expertise to provide vital front-line medical equipment to the five new Nightingale hospitals across England.

Wirework manufacturer Craven & Co is making and distributing 800 intravenous (IV) drip stands every day after being fast-tracked into the NHS supply chain.

In total, the company has delivered 4,000 IV stands to the ExCeL in London, and it is currently manufacturing a further 8,500 to the Nightingale hospitals in Harrogate, Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol.

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Craven is also producing and distributing trolleys, shelving and other medical equipment to all five hospitals, including around 1,000 modular shelves in the last week alone.

Noel Baker on the production line at Craven &  Cos manufacturing base in
Knaresborough, where the company is producing vital medical equipment for the
countrys new Nightingale hospitals.Noel Baker on the production line at Craven &  Cos manufacturing base in
Knaresborough, where the company is producing vital medical equipment for the
countrys new Nightingale hospitals.
Noel Baker on the production line at Craven & Cos manufacturing base in Knaresborough, where the company is producing vital medical equipment for the countrys new Nightingale hospitals.

Director Wez Dance said: “As a UK-based designer and manufacturer mainly using materials from an established network of British suppliers, we have been able to quickly make and distribute medical equipment for the NHS.

“In addition, our expertise and experience in bespoke solutions has meant that, in a short space of time, we’ve been able to create a new IV stand design specifically for use in the Nightingale hospitals.”

Established in Knaresborough more than 60 years ago, Craven & Co designs and manufactures shelving, racking, trolleys and wirework products for a wide range of industries.

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Its medical cabinets and trolleys are usually supplied into distributors and resellers of medical equipment, rather than as a direct part of the NHS supply chain.

Managing director Noel Baker said: “We are delighted to be helping the NHS in their fight against this pandemic.

“All the NHS workers have inspired everyone at Craven & Co to be resolute and even more willing to go the extra mile. Although the supply chain has been a challenge during this crisis, we have managed to keep going where others have not.

“Many of the UK suppliers of equipment into the NHS offer imports from the Far East, so a lot of them are now out of stock and unable to fulfil requirements.”

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Mr Dance described the NHS work as “a lifeline” for the business after much of its operations “literally fell off a cliff almost immediately” when coronavirus restrictions were imposed.

In normal times, 60 to 70 per cent of Craven’s manufacturing output is for the catering and retail sectors.

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