Smurfit Kappa has launched a new “Design for Help” portfolio of products with the aim of helping to alleviate some of the challenges being experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company says that a team of its designers used equal measures of creativity and skill to quickly produce a practical set of products. The first products that made their debut in a Smurfit Kappa plant in France were corrugated workplace dividers, used to protect people who work closely alongside each other so they can maintain a safe distance while carrying out their jobs.
This product is now reportedly being sought after for use in many other locations and workplaces, including a designated emergency area within the Hospital Complex of Navarra in Spain where they are used to separate patients’ beds for hygiene and privacy.
Other products in Smurfit Kappa’s “Design for Help” portfolio include corrugated beds for temporary hospitals and isolation spaces, a range of protective face masks, and temporary furniture including shelves and tables.
Arco Berkenbosch, Smurfit Kappa VP of Innovation & Development, said: “We are all seeing the media reports about various product shortages and the need for a rapid response.
“I’m very proud of our designers who were so quick to rise to the challenge of creating a suite of simple but effective products which are clear proof that corrugated is the ultimate single-use hygienic material. The designs are all freely available for all and we will continue to add other useful solutions to our ‘Design for Help’ portfolio in the coming weeks.”
