A determination to manufacture face shields during COVID-19 has seen Laura Stavciuc from Northampton manufacturing firm igus UK scoop a top award.
Laura, 24, a credit co-ordinator at igus UK, has been recognised for her dedication during the pandemic and been presented with an award by the Brackmills Business Improvement District (BID).
Laura explained: “When I heard that the local branch of the National 3D Printing Society was striving to produce PPE, I put myself forward to lead on the project. igus UK pledged its support and I spent as much time as I could on it. We repurposed part of our site to check, prepare and produce hundreds of face shields a day.
“As the UK demand dropped, we realised face shields were still desperately needed in other countries, so we sent thousands to hospitals abroad, including to my home country, Moldova.”
Throughout lockdown Laura visited the office every day to ensure the production line was running smoothly. “At some points I was taking the work home with me,” said Laura. “There was no time to waste.”
Sara Homer, chair of Brackmills BID, commented: “Congratulations to Laura for winning our first award of 2020. She is an exceptionally worthy winner and has truly gone above and beyond the call of duty, which is what our awards are all about.”
igus UK moved to Brackmills Industrial Estate in 2006 (having previously been based in Daventry and later at Moulton Park) and is now one of the most respected manufacturers and distributors in the country - offering an unrivalled range of plastic plain bearings, spherical bearings, linear guides, cable carriers and continuous-flex cables as well as producing fully integrated systems.
The company, which has a team of around 100, has remained open during the pandemic.
Managing Director Matthew Aldridge explained: “We made the decision straight away to remain open during the pandemic – to support the UK economy, help the government with essential PPE and the manufacture of ventilators and other essential medical equipment. We are rightly proud of this and of the part Laura has played. Thank you to the BID for recognising Laura’s commitment.”
Laura added: “I am so glad I had the opportunity to do this. I felt enthusiastic at the start and accomplished by the end. Seeing the final result and understanding the real difference we had made in keeping people safe during these times has been fantastic.”
The Brackmills BID Above and Beyond the Call of Duty awards have been designed to shine the spotlight on committed individuals, talented teams, and innovative companies.
Winners receive, alongside the publicity for their company, a gift voucher to spend on the estate.
To nominate please visit: www.brackmillsindustrialestate.co.uk/brackmills-awards.