LINET Group protects its employees in order to continue supplying the areas hardest hit by coronavirus
Europe’s largest manufacturer of hospital beds has altered its operations to meet the challenges of the ongoing pandemic. Focus is now exclusively on two types of products – the acute and critical care beds Eleganza and Multicare. The shift has allowed the company to increase production volumes and supply the beds to the countries that need them most, namely Italy, Spain, and the USA.
‘We’ve seen an exponential increase in orders from all over the world. It brings us no happiness, as the current pandemic is having an immense impact on everyone. We do, however, consider it our duty to do everything possible for our customers in the most affected areas,’says LINET Group managing director Tomáš Kolář.
LINET Group has registered demand for 22 thousand beds, which is roughly one fifth of annual production for the manufacturing plants in Slaný and Želevčice together with the wi-bo plant in Germany. Most of the beds will go to the European market, the USA, and the Middle East. LINET has also released for immediate sale all available beds, including those used for demonstrations and training purposes.
‘Of equal importance to us is the protection of our employees. Everyone has been provided with face masks, which we are both purchasing and making ourselves with centrally ordered fabrics. All our facilities have sanitizer, the use of which is compulsory. I’m truly proud of all our employees. Everyone realizes that we’re fighting against potentially fatal consequences of the pandemic,’ adds Mr Kolář.
LINET takes the temperature of everyone arriving at the company and has also installed thermographic cameras in the reception area for contactless measuring. At the same time, everyone must wear a face mask and sanitize their hands. The company was forced to restrict the activities of the company nursery school Linetka, but employees can take advantage of day care for their children. Business travel has been cancelled, and all meetings are taking place online.
For its customers, LINET will be launching webinars and online training. Training of personnel, primarily nurses, is key to the correct use of the beds, so the company will be offering online support beginning at the end of March.
LINET beds are engineered with features to provide protection against infections, such as a lifting column system that makes it possible to raise the patient further from the floor. The beds are also assembled from a smaller number of components to enable easy disinfection. Operation is handled through a single control device, but caretakers can position the bed using foot controls only. The various surfaces of the beds prevent the adhesion of microorganisms.
A new feature is antibacterial protection for plastic parts, which is provided to LINET by the Swiss company Sanitized. The antibacterial surface has been clinically tested and proven especially effective against bacterial infections such as MRSA, VRE, and NDM-1
