Island's engineering & manufacturing firms praised

The Island's engineering and manufacturing firms are being praised for their efforts in the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Government officials say firms in those sectors have continued to provide important supplies through the likes of designing and producing essential medical equipment as well as supplying major, defence, aerospace, and telecoms equipment.

Among the local businesses playing a key role are Swagelok - continuing to provide vital valves, tubing and fittings used in ventilators and within the pharmaceutical field - and Astrea Bioseparations in the production of biopharmaceuticals- therapeutic products derived from biological source material, including the COVID-19 vaccine.

Meanwhile, Bodystat is supporting a Post-Hospitalisation-Covid research group by donating consumables to assist with their research in identifying whether there are any longer term health effects from Coronavirus.

Elsewhere, Henson Ceramics has designed and built an oxygen generator and Ozone steriliser that's been proven to combat SARS and have adapted it to tackle Covid-19, whilst Jantys are continuing to manufacture essential parts for medical facemask production lines in the UK.

Political Member with responsibility for Business Isle of Man, Lawrie Hooper MHK, says: "There’s no doubt that the Isle of Man has a fantastic reputation for innovative engineering and manufacturing and I’m delighted to see so many Manx businesses contributing on a global scale to support the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The sector has continued to work extremely well during this circuit breaker lockdown, doing what they can to ensure they do this with all social distancing and other hygiene measures in place."