HOSPITAL Services Limited (HSL) has expanded its business to help the health services across Ireland by sourcing more than 13 million pieces of personal protective equipment to aid the fight against coronavirus.
The most recent deliveries of gowns, masks and theatre caps arrived last week by chartered cargo flights, with around 100 truckloads to follow.
HSL, which has a staff of 75 at offices in Belfast, Dublin and Nottingham, is one of the UK's largest privately-owned distributors supplying radiology, ophthalmic, endoscopy and surgical equipment, and in recent months has diversified its offering to source and supply much-needed PPE for front line workers.
To help accommodate the scale of recent demand, HSL received multi-million-pound support from its investment partner Foresight and long-term financial partner Bank of Ireland UK.
"With an established global network of suppliers, HSL was well-equipped to answer the call for additional PPE which has come from the health services across the UK and Ireland," chief executive Dominic Walsh said.
"We're proud to have the unique skillset to help answer the call for PPE and are thankful to Foresight and Bank of Ireland for enabling us to quickly increase our buying power in order to get these PPE shipments here as quickly as possible."
Paul McClurg, Bank of Ireland UK's head of business banking in Belfast, said: "We're delighted to support HSL with a funding solution which is enabling them to diversify and expand their products and services. It is a fantastic example of a local company adapting to the needs of the marketplace and its customers."
James Livingston, partner of Foresight Group, added: "We've been most impressed by the speed with which the management team at HSL has been able to respond to the specific needs of the health sector and health workers throughout the crisis, and we were pleased to promptly put in place additional financial support."
