I lived in the ‘busy wee boom town’, 1960 to 1980, and worked in ICI Chemicals for a period, so, of course, I’m proud.
From the First Minister ‘yisterday’ (:-)):
The second item I want to update you on, is our work to ensure that Scotland’s NHS has the supplies that it needs to care for people in this time.
Over the past month, the Minister for Trade Ivan McKee has been leading work to ensure that any shortages are overcome – and that supply chains can continue to meet demand.
That has involved at times sourcing equipment from alternative supply chains. And where necessary, we have looked overseas to source the equipment we need.
For example, last weekend, a major consignment of PPE arrived at Prestwick Airport, from China. It included 10 million fluid-resistant face masks, as well as equipment for use in intensive care units and laboratories.
I can confirm that, just an hour ago, another of those consignments arrived at Prestwick. It includes 100,000 testing kits, as well as another 10 million face masks.
Of course, alongside international procurement, we’re also working to boost Scotland’s domestic supply lines.
About a month ago, we put out a call to action, to Scotland’s businesses. We asked them to support the flow of supplies and equipment, to our health and social care sector.
To date, more than 1,600 businesses and individuals have answered that call. And I want to thank each and every one of them.
We are working hard to assess and coordinate each of those offers, as quickly as possible. And in doing that, we are prioritising the support that is needed most.
Our work with Calachem – a company based in Grangemouth – is a good example. Calachem have now produced 20,000 litres of hand sanitiser. The sanitiser was manufactured using denatured alcohol from Whyte & Mackay. It was bottled by the Stonehaven-based company, McPhie. And deliveries of the product – to our front line services – will begin from next week.
The Scottish Government has formed this supply chain, in an incredibly short space of time. It will produce 560,000 litres of hand sanitiser, over the next four weeks. And that will be enough meet the needs of Scotland’s entire health and social care sector.
Another example is the work we’re doing with the firm Alpha Solway. They are currently manufacturing 20,000 face visors per day, at their factory in Annan. And in total, they are supplying an order of over one million visors, to our NHS.
These businesses – and many more like them – are doing hugely important work. Rightly and properly we will continue to talk about getting supplies of this kind of equipment to the front line, but I thought it was useful today to give you an insight into the work that’s being done to ensure these supplies keep flowing and the we have sufficient of them to get through this crisis. So these companies and many more in addition to the ones I’ve mentioned today are playing a critical part in our overall collective national endeavour in Scotland to tackle this crisis and I want to put on record today my heartfelt thanks to each and every one.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Great news. A growing sense of confidence from the FM perhaps that the government is more in control of events arising from covid19?
One thing I think I see.The less hostile and more mannerly journalists at the daily briefings give the FM the courtesy of using her title. Others ignore it and often any form of greeting or thanks.
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Ah but remember the Elite in England absolutely hate taking a wee deek at the scoreboard.
Especially so when their HYPED up team that has taken to the field and it becomes apparent that they are not what they were made out to be
And that is why you will Never ever hear of such good goals against them being scored and flashed
Up by Scotlands MSM as someone down south would scream Oh Look
A certain football tournament and game springs to mind when a team of part time fishing folks & vets etc. Adorning the colours of Iceland eliminated them from the tournament
But if you go to http://www.worfmeters.info
It is not only football that Iceland can thump England but that of matters of life & death
Wonder why
Maybe it is that a result of the banking crash they jailed the bankers
Whilst England rewarded them for their
Bold efforts in the casino of international
Banking gambling houses in losing the whole dammed lot
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This is an outstanding good news story. In old money a “can do” story of govt and business sharing objectives. Plus, “ten million face masks”… another superb piece of procurement, prob in the face of much competition. And yet, MSM where are you? BBC still flogging the 400,000 pieces of PPE came in from Turkey this week. Desperate stuff.
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