Lec Medical supplies pharmaceutical refrigeration units to the NHS and to customers across the world and has seen demand surge during the coronavirus pandemic. Tony McDonough reports

A Merseyside business that supplies medical refrigeration appliances is reporting a surge in demand in the UK and across the world due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Lec Medical, a division of Glen Dimplex Home Appliances, is ramping up production at its purpose-built facility in Prescot to meet orders from the NHS and from other parts of Europe and Australasia.

The business has been supplying the NHS for more than 20 years and since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic its has been asked to supply its products to additional hospital wards, community pharmacies and temporary hospitals such as the Nightingale in London.

Its pharmacy refrigeration range is designed for the storage of temperature sensitive medicines and vaccines in pharmacies, GP surgeries, clinics and hospital wards, plus portable units for community care teams.

Lec has increased production of its pharmaceutical refrigeration units and has introduced contactless kerbside delivery to protect its NHS customers. It has been able to react quickly to deliver a significant number of pharmacy fridges to the new NHS Nightingale hospital at the Excel Centre in London.

It is expected to supply to other NHS Nightingale hospitals in the coming days, as well other Covid-19 laboratories and wards across the UK.

The company is also donating a fridge to a Ministry of Defence test centre in the South of England to help in the fight against coronavirus and has pledged its support to the UK Government’s appeal for manufacturers to assist with the production and design of much-needed medical equipment.

Mike Butt, managing director at Lec Medical, said: “On top of the increased demand for our products driven by the approaching flu season, the impact of COVID-19 is driving an unprecedented number of enquiries.

“As a UK manufacturer we are fortunate that we have been able to respond quickly, increasing production whilst ensuring we observe social distancing guidelines within our production site.

“We have plenty of product in stock and readily available, and our UK customer service team is working around the clock to get deliveries out to under-pressure NHS customers as quickly as possible.”