As the last of the Covid restrictions have now been lifted & while the UK prepares to live with Covid19, we take a moment to reflect on how Judd Medical, with its 25 years in the industry, rode the storm. We recognise and praise the contributions & efforts of every member of staff, no matter what role they played.
Whilst we were all aware of the massive disruption the pandemic was causing it also bought new goals & opportunities. Opportunities of which however, without the hard work & dedication of our employees could not have been accomplished.
Our Goal – To survive the difficult trading restrictions.
The Opportunity – To source reliable product quickly which conformed to the stringent regulations for PPE equipment.
At the beginning of 2020, Judd Medical had a healthy portfolio of Medical Devices & Electrosurgery Products covering specialities from Orthopaedics to Urology. Appearing on numerous NHS Framework Agreements we had an ever-growing customer database of both NHS & Private Hospitals.
By early March 2020 with shutdown imminent, orders for single use and reusable surgical products were slowly decreasing as hospitals deprioritised elective surgeries.
We were all aware of the challenges that lay ahead!
Collectively we came together and thought, how best as a medical company, could we help and support the NHS and others in these difficult times?
By diversifying our product portfolio quickly to include much needed PPE!
With the careful selection of products by our procurement team under the guidance of senior management, we were able to source a range of PPE Products, including Reusable & Disposable Face Masks, Sanitisers and Gloves, that could be supplied to the Public, Care Homes and the Healthcare Sectors.
With the immediate influx of requests & orders from customers old and new for PPE, we were able to meet the demands for PPE distributing to most of the UK. However, with stock arriving daily, we now needed a place for additional storage, which bought further demands on our warehouse facilities.
We expanded our warehouse facility to include an offsite warehouse and despatch facility for distribution of all our products and by temporarily re-deploying members of our customer service team to help in the new warehouse, we were able to maintain and keep up with demands for stock.
During difficult trading periods we were afforded a visit by the now Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP for Bromsgrove. Mr. Javid assisted in the opening of our new offsite warehouse facility where he learned all about our day-to-day operations and how we had to adapt as a result of the pandemic.
As Steve Jobs said: “Great things in business are never done by one person, they’re done by a team of people.”
This quote epitomises the commitment shown by our employees who all pulled together and were willing to go the extra mile for the good of the company. The long hours and weekends worked at the height of the pandemic should not be understated.
Whilst many businesses were forced to either furlough or make employees redundant, we were fortunate enough to be able to employ new staff members to help drive the company in the desired direction during the pandemic.
With the continued enthusiasm & commitment of all our employees, we are beginning to return to some normality here at Judd Medical. We will continue to expand our Product Portfolio, which now includes a range of Infection Control and PPE Products, and ensure we supply the latest, innovative medical products that will enhance the quality of surgical procedures.
One final note and most important of all, the pandemic has taught us not to take the small things in life for granted. Visiting friends & family, going shopping, even a hug! – Freedom feels like it has been restored once again, so let’s enjoy it!
