One U.S. company moved quickly to help clients buy sanitizing materials in bulk as many restaurants and businesses re-open and a short-supply is anticipated. Read the story of “Cleanbuddies” and how the shortage of cleaning products unfolded.
Back in January when President Trump’s trade advisor, Peter Navarro, warned that an outbreak of coronavirus in China could become, what he said, “a full-blown pandemic” many dismissed his warnings. The president suggested the virus would ‘go away’ and not make a large impact on the US. Now, only a few months later with the US having 1.52 million confirmed cases, Trump’s opinion changed drastically and is now on the same page as the trade advisor.
The U.S. is looking to buy PPE equipment and cleaning agents from other allies in the region and to manufacture that itself. Buying locally produced cleaning products is indeed considered a matter of national security in a Covid-19 era.
Earlier this month Navarro discussed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention early response to the virus outbreak, saying the CDC ‘set the country back’ after struggling to develop its diagnostic test in January. While Trump has already declared China as the main antagonist in the Coronavirus tale, many other countries such as Spain, Czech Republic, Turkey and Britain have complained of faulty equipment and antibody tests purchased from Chinese companies.
The pandemic has ignited a worldwide scramble to find medical masks; gowns; ventilators – much of it made in China. Is it because of bad management or high demand that China has a problem with quality control? Georgia has already cancelled a contract with the Chinese company that sent flawed test kits to Spain, and the Netherlands asked to return 600,000 face masks purchased from China that had inadequate filters. Finland found personal protective equipment, unsuitable for hospital use. Australian borders seized 800,000 counterfeit masks from China.
The rising problem in the USA
It hits closer to home when authorities from the U.S subjugated more than 80 million faulty masks and 370,000 defective disinfectants in the prior month. Many factories in China have pivoted into PPE manufacturing under government encouragement, even though they lack quality control.
“Everybody is jumping on this market and they have zero understanding of quality control,” claims Renaud Anjoran, a manufacturing supply chain auditor based in Hong Kong. “But these are high-risk items. If they don’t work, people might die. Many of the newly established mask factories also operate in unhygienic conditions with no process to keep the air clean,” based on his visits.
Clean Buddies stepping forward to help:
So, is there a magic fairy godmother to help the world in obtaining the best PPE so we can finally overcome this pandemic and get on with our lives? A recently established company launched the website https://cleanbuddies.com/ as they found a need for sanitization in rural communities. While sanitization is at the core of good health and quality of life, there are far too many people that don’t have soap and water at their disposal.
Clean Buddies is a fast-moving U.S. hygiene company, which was founded on the principles of donating supplies to the children of less fortunate communities. They decided to create easy-to-use hand-sanitizing wipes. “We want to be their ‘buddy’ for when soap and water aren’t available. That’s one of the reasons why our product is named Clean Buddies” the company mentioned on their website. The wide-range benefits of the company’s corporate social responsibility include improved sanitization; better understanding of the importance of hand hygiene and the value of recycling and repurposing whenever possible.
Why consider Clean Buddies as a supplier right now?
Their superb on-the-go hand sanitizing wipes easily eliminate 99.9% of bacteria. Their soft, reliable pack of 100 sanitizing wipes effectively remove germs from your hands, face, and everyday work surfaces – without needing access to running water.
Alcohol wipes and hand sanitizers should always be in your purse or pocket. Never leave the house without your facial mask or protective visor. What makes Clean Buddies a great option for US clients, is that it is a US business with a local distribution chain. This cancels out backlog on worldwide shipping via plane or ship. Quality control is better, as the company ties its values in with its product.
A year ago, before leaving the house, you’d grab your phone and keys. Now, you grab a phone; keys and your face-mask. Wearing face-masks in shops, even in your car, has become our new norm. Scientists have proven that wearing masks protect you and others from infection.
Are there any other companies that can aid the USA?
The online retailer’s community of handcrafted goods, Amazon Handmade, sells homemade masks while the smartphone giant, Apple, turned its design to manufacture and create a face shield that front line professionals can use. Another company have switched gears to make masks. Hedley & Bennett, a manufacturer for aprons and chef gear, sell their masks in a wide range of colors. Buffs, like those sold by REI, serve multiple functions including mask protection.
As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise, so does the demand for hand sanitizer – the limited supply has led to major headaches for shoppers and suppliers. There are a few places where you can still buy hand sanitizer. Staples, Ulta, Poo-Pourri and Medzone have packs of hand sanitizing gel available online.
As infection numbers keep climbing in the USA and around the world, many governments are now looking for local manufacturers of PPE, or closer to home. These uncertain times have already managed to create a widespread search for better and locally produced hygiene and safety products. As more countries back away from Chinese produced goods, companies such as Clean Buddies are quickly stepping in to give solutions.
